Soldiers wounded in a recent clash with communist rebels in Barangay San Isidro, Las Navas, Northern Samar, received much-deserved recognition, the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry “Stormtroopers” Division said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the 8ID reported that its commanding officer, Major General Adonis Ariel Orio, visited the injured troops at the hospital on August 4.
The soldiers sustained injuries during a military operation that resulted in the death of eight members of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) and the capture of ten high-powered firearms.
Orio awarded the Wounded Personnel Medal to the injured troops and led a moment of silence in honor of Corporal Arcel B. Sicnoy, who was killed in action during the operation.
“Though we came at the cost of losing a life, your courage and sacrifice exemplified the highest ideals of a Filipino soldier, and of a Stormtrooper. The 8ID’s victory is yours as well. As your Commander, I honor you not as mere soldiers, but as patriots whose selfless commitment to service strengthened our pursuit of lasting peace in Eastern Visayas,” he said.
He assured the soldiers and their families, including Sicnoy’s, of continued financial and moral support from the command.
