• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A Philippine Army battalion commander and five other soldiers were conferred the Silver Cross Medals during the awarding rites held at Camp Major Nelson Gerona in Murcia, Negros Occidental on Monday (March 4).
Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, chief of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Visayas Command, bestowed the medals on Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94th Infantry Battalion commanding officer, 1Lt. Dhan Mark Florencio, SSgt. Anthony Rey Agregado, Sgt. Emmanuel Caingcoy, Corporals Louis Charles Mata and Clent Fabiana.
The AFP Visayas Command congratulated the two military officers and four enlisted personnel for a job well done in the campaign against New People’s Army in Negros Island.
In his visit to Camp Macario Peralta in Jamindan, Capiz, Arevalo also awarded Meritorious Achievement Medals to three military officers and three enlisted personnel.
The recipients were Maj. Leonardo Faura IV, Maj. Ariel Pascua, Capt. Jestoni Labarosa, MSgt. Leonardo Aboy, SSgt. Raymond Dennis Tingson, and Sgt. Jean Cabaltera.
Meanwhile, the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) got 15 more soldiers, among them a junior military officer, who were dispatched to its line companies in central Negros.
Four military officers assigned to the 62IB were also promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.
Lt. Col. Evelio Ilanga III, 62IB commanding officer, congratulated the newly-promoted officers and commended them for their outstanding performance.
“Your promotion does not entail gaining more power but rather, it comes with additional responsibilities to exceed what you have already achieved. You should strive for the better, not only for yourself but more importantly, for the unit to which you belong,” he added. | GB
