Pasay City and Taguig City
February 20, 2017

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte made a series of wake visits at the Villamor Air Base (VAB) Mortuary in Pasay City and at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) Mortuary in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

His first stop was in VAB for the wake of Major Jerico P. Mangalus of the Philippine Army (PA), a member of the Military Intelligence Group 10 (MIG 10) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He was killed on February 16, 2017 in an ambush staged by local terrorist group members while conducting intelligence duties in Barangay Lilud, Madaya, Marawi City.

Next, the President gave his condolences to the families of Colonel Oscar F. Ibarra (Ret.) and Master Sergeant Leonardo A. Fernando (Ret.), both from the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Col. Ibarra was reportedly shot dead on February 14, 2017 by members of a rebel group while biking somewhere in the Ifugao province. On the other hand, MSgt. Fernando suffered a stomach cancer and died on February 8, 2017.

This was followed by the President’s stop at the wake of Mr. Libert Salazar Chavez, a former member of the Philippine Navy (PN) who died of old age on February 16, 2017.

From VAB, President Duterte proceeded to the LNMB Mortuary and paid his respects to Colonel Orlando D. Suarez who died on February 11, 2017 after suffering a stroke while on an official trip in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Col. Suarez served as the Assistant Defense and Armed Forces Attaché at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., United States of America since April 30, 2014. He was also a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Maringal Class of 1988.

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