8ID commander pins award to wounded soldier

By DPAO, 8ID PA
January 16, 2018

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan, Samar – The Commander of the 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division Maj. Gen. Raul M Farnacio AFP pinned the award of the Wounded Personnel Medal (WPM) to Corporal Artemio Bendo Jr. (Inf) PA who was wounded during an encounter with undetermined number of communist terrorists (CTs) on January 16, 2018 at Camp Lukban Station Hospital.

Corporal Bendo along with his fellow soldiers from 43rd Infantry (WE SEARCH) Battalion were in the area of Barangay Somoroy, Lope de Vega, Northern Samar last January 14, 2018 to conduct humanitarian assistance to residents affected by torrential rains when the encounter with CTs transpired.

In his short message, Maj. Gen. Raul M Farnacio said that, “This award is a manifestation of the degree of sacrifice that a soldier has to pay in order for our fellow Filipinos to continue to live in peace. It is just fitting to commend personnel such as Corporal Bendo who risked his life in helping and protecting the less fortunate in the far-flung areas.”

Since the beginning of the year, the 8ID has been intensifying its campaign to defeat the CTs as per marching order given by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army as an identified terrorist organization.

It can be recalled that on January 4, 2018, two CTs were killed and two high powered firearms were recovered by the soldiers of 78th Infantry (Warriors) Battalion during an encounter at Barangay Hilapnitan, Baybay City, Leyte.