President Duterte Personally Awards Medal To Wounded PSG Members And Soldiers

President Rodrigo Duterte personally visited and awarded a medal to the wounded members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and soldiers of 103rd Brigade who were airlifted to the 4th Infantry Division’s Camp Evangelista Station Hospital (CESH) and the Polymedic Medical Plaza in Cagayan de Oro City, Wednesday, November 30.

From Lanao del Sur, President Duterte arrived at the 4ID camp around 2 p.m. and immediately headed to the CESH to see the condition of the 11 injured PSG members and soldiers by a road side improvised explosive device blast in Marawi City, Tuesday.

The injured PSG members and soldiers were part of President Duterte’s advance party for the President’s planned visit to Butig, Lanao del Sur where the Armed Forces of the Philippines is locked in an almost week-long armed confrontation with the Maute terror group.

Furthermore, the President awarded all of the wounded personnel with Wounded Personnel Medal.

Confined in CESH are the five PSG members Corporal Vincent Paniza, Private First Class James Gonzales, Sergeant Jesus Garcia, Corporal Rodel Genova, Corporal Edward De Leon, including a soldier SSg Eufrociho Payumo Jr.

Admitted to Polyemedic Medical Plaza is the other two PSG members Captain Reynald Zamora Jr, SSg Renie Damaso and other wounded soldiers Corporal Joselito Gallentes, Sergeant Eric Ubalde and Private First Class Fernando Corpuz.

The wounded, which was brought to the Polymedic Hospital, sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies, while patients in CESH had minor shrapnel wounds caused by the blast.

Paniza and Gonzales both said they were happy that President Duterte personally visited them. Both of them also asserted that the attack was an ambush.

“Biglaan yung nangyari biglang may pumutok sa likod namin then may putok ng baril. Yung ibang kasama naka-react, ako hindi na kasi wounded na ako sa pagsabog,” Paniza said.

“Sakay ako sa 6-by na leading vehicle paakyat na kami to 103rd. Pagdaan namin may biglang sumabog sa tapat. Di ko na nakita ang mga nagpaputok ng baril. Nag retaliate din kami,” Gonzales said.

“Itataya ko pa rin ang buhay ko para sa kanya,” Gonzales added.

Speaking before the media, President Duterte said he does not want to wage war against Filipinos as he is doing everything to prevent it.

“But I told them that they (Maute group) have to stop. I hope it won’t lead to war,” President Duterte said.

“Di ko naman sila tinatakot. Sabi ko lang ayoko ng giyera but do not force my hand into it,” the President added.

Asked about his meeting with commanders at the Army’s tactical command post five kilometers away from the front line, President Duterte said he told Army commanders that the operation and the fight must go on.

“They have to go on with the operation. What is there to stop wala naman nagpapakita ng sincerity dyan so the fight goes on,” he said.

Source: Sunstar