WESMINCOM, Zamboanga City
November 24, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte recognized the bravery and sacrifices of the 23 confined wounded-in-action (WIA) soldiers as he conferred them the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kampilan at the Camp Navarro General Hospital (CNGH) in the Western Mindanao Command (WESMINCOM), Zamboanga City.

The 23 WIA soldiers were among the 24 casualties in an encounter against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Patikul, Sulu on November 16 and 17, 2018. One (1) soldier is still confined at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center in Quezon City.

The Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kampilan is awarded to officials and personnel of the government and private individuals who were seriously wounded, injured or suffered great loss of property, as a direct result of their participation in an activity pursuant to a campaign or advocacy of the President.

Aside from the medals, the Commander-in-Chief also provided financial assistance and gun certificates to the injured soldiers.

At the end of his camp visit, the President briefly interacted with the WESMINCOM soldiers’ dependents — mostly children, who were overjoyed by his presence.

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