Thirty-one soldiers, 12 CAFGU Active Auxiliary personnel, and a K-9 tracking dog named Ella, received military merit medals, from Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division commander, at two awarding rites in Negros on Tuesday, April 19.
One officer and 10 enlisted personnel of the 11 the Infantry Battalion, and a military working dog named Ella and her handler Pfc Dave Calumbres of the Philippine Army K-9 Unit, received their medals at rites held at the 11th Infantry Battalion headquarters in Brgy Salag, Siaton, Negros Oriental.
The 11 soldiers of the 11th IB and the K-9 team were awarded for their role in an encounter with Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebels in Barangay Enrique Villanueva, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on April 14.
Ella, a Belgian Malinois military dog, helped the soldiers track down the dead body of a suspected NPA member following the clash against the terrorist group, a 3ID statement said Wednesday.
Recovered from the encounter site were three high powered firearms, five Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), subversive documents, and 12 backpacks.
Meanwhile, four officers and 15 EPs of the 94th Infantry Battalion and 12 CAAs received the same awards at separate rites.
The 19 soldiers and 12 CAAs clashed with about 10 CPP-NPA rebels, one of whom died, in Sitio San Juan, Brgy. Caradio-an, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, also on April 14.
A Wounded Personnel Medal was also conferred on Cpl. Reno Gicole of the 94th IB who was injured in the Caradi-on encounter.
Arevalo commended the troops for their commitment to serving and securing Negrenses and bringing genuine peace to the island.*