PNoy awards peacekeepers in Golan escape

 Some may call them cowards, but at home, they are undoubtedly heroes.
 
On Wednesday, President Benigno Aquino III awarded the Filipino peacekeepers who escaped after a standoff with Syrian rebels in Golan Heights in late August.
 
Aquino, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, handed the Distinguished Service Medal, the third-highest military award, to Col. Ezra James Enriquez and Lt. Col. Ted Damusmog. 
 
Enriquez, the head of the Philippine peacekeeping force in Golan Heights, earlier offered to resign in the wake of the controversy triggered by the Filipino peacekeepers' escape, but this was rejected by his superiors.
 
Damusmog, meanwhile, was tasked to head the military battalion which will help secure Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines in January.
 
After handing the awards, Aquino thanked the 344 peacekeepers repatriated from Golan Heights for showing courage in the face of adversity.
 
"Humahanga ang buong sambayanan na talagang ito ang uri, kalidad, saka galing, tapang, husay, talino ng ating Sandatahang Lakas," the President said
 
"Talagang nakadagdag kayo sa puri at sa dangal ng ating Inang Bayan, kaya naman dapat kayong talagang pasalamatan," he added.
 
Aside from the Distinguished Service Medal, Gold Cross Medals were also awarded to: Captain Nilo Ramones, 2Lt. Larry Endozo, MSgt. Wilson Lagmay, Sgt. Alwin Cuyos, SSg. Leonardo Aboy, SSg. Andy Mejos, SSg. Ramil Bobiles and Corporal Joneve Acolicol.

Separate ceremony

Other awards were given out to members of the contingent in a separate ceremony at the AFP General Headquarters after the event at Malacañang.

Bronze Cross Medals were awarded to Cpt. Ricardo Nolasco, SSg. Arnold Liwanag, and Cpl. Jober Babaran "for their meritorious and valuable service rendered" as part of the Rapid Reaction Group, 2nd Company, 7th PCGH during the crisis.

Meanwhile, 174 officers and enlisted personnel of the 7th PCGH received Military Merit Medals "in different degrees."

The contingent also got their UN Service Medals for completing their tour of duty in Golan Heights.
 
Golan escape
 
In late August, 75 Filipino peacekeepers figured in a standoff with Syrian militants, which ended with them escaping after a seven-hour clash.
 
The AFP and United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) officials gave conflicting takes of the Filipino peacekeepers' escape. The Philippine military said the Filipino troops defied the order for them to lay down their firearms as there was no guarantee that the rebels would release the Fijian hostages. 
 
Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha, UNDOF commander, for his part, described the Filipino troops' action asan act of cowardice
 
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in a 1967 war, and the countries technically remain at war. Syrian troops are not allowed in an area of separation under a 1973 ceasefire formalized in 1974.
 
UNDOF monitors the area of separation, a narrow strip of land running 70 km from Mount Hermon on the Lebanese border to the Yarmouk River frontier with Jordan. There are 1,223 UNDOF peacekeepers from six countries. — with Rose-An Jessica

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM, gagamit ng ‘digital platforms’ para pagtibayin ang mga ugnayang pampamilya

Selling of balikbayan boxes online part of deal between sender, firm —BOC By JOAHNA LEI CASILAO, GMA Integrated News

Dozens injured after train derails in Netherlands: emergency services --- Agence France-Presse