The Hardest Task
Personnel of the 17th Infantry Battalion rendered a vigil at the wake of PFC Viernes in Tuao, Cagayan. Photo by 17IB
Natural disasters are uncontrollable. It comes in many forms and strikes in many ways with devastating effects. But there are constant response teams of the government that provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. One of which is the Philippine Army. During disasters and calamities, whether natural or manmade, soldiers are a common sight conducting rescue and relief operations. The Army most especially has a ready reaction force utilized by the government as an ad hoc ready organization or as part of the government task forces. HADR Operations are normally done by virtue of the availability of Army personnel to respond to unexpected disasters. Most often, no formal mechanisms mandate the Army to do such operations. Non-traditional security is used interchangeably with human security which is defined by the Commission on Human Security as the protection of the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedom and human fulfillment. (LtCol. Ferdinand Melchor C Dela Cruz, “The ASEAN Way and Asean Cooperation in Non-traditional Security Roles, The Haigate Papers, 2011, p. 127, 131).
Recently, another earthquake hit the Province of Abra and Ilocos Region, leaving injured people and rubble from damaged tall structures. At the same time, Region 2 is still recovering from the heavy rainfall brought by typhoons Neneng and Obet that destroyed rice and corn crops. A couple of days after the earthquake, four soldiers were deployed in Kutop Detachment in Malibcong, Abra. They were called to report to the Advanced Command Post of 24th Infantry Battalion (24IB) in Licuan-Baay, Abra to augment the troops who are tasked to prepare for HADR operations in the province. 24IB is under the operational command of the 5th Infantry (Star) Division, Philippine Army (5ID, PA) in Brgy. Upi, Gamu, Isabela.
While the troop was on their way, two were killed and two were wounded due to an ambush, treacherously carried out by more or less 10 members of the Komiteng Larangang Guerilla (KLG)-North Abra.
The Killed-in-Action (KIA) soldiers were identified as PFC Ariz F Bautista, from Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur and PFC Jimmy T Viernes from Tuao, Cagayan. The wounded (WIA) were PFC Randy F Cinco from Tinglayan, Kalinga, and PFC Reymond P Galo from Guimba, Nueva Ecija.
At 5ID’s Area of Responsibility, since the implementation of the Exec. Order No. 70 created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), data shows that there were 274 in 2018, 194 in 2019, 254 in 2020, 660 in 2021, and 1145 as of Nov. 2022 officers and members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) or collectively known as the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) who surrendered/denounced their membership to the organization. This means that a total of 1,527 turned into peace advocates after pledging allegiance to the government by sharing information critical for intelligence gathering.
In the absence of the Cadres and regular members of the NPA who play vital roles in the rebellious movement plus the hard blow that they have to bear due to the army’s intensified combat operations in the remotest areas where they most likely hide, their force is considerably weak.
But what went wrong? Why did the government side suffer two KIAs and two WIAs? Is the incident implicating that the force of the CTG is not weakened though almost all of its armed members have surrendered and the high-ranking officials have withdrawn their support?
Analyzing what transpired, personnel from the 24IB was on a mission to prepare the area for the conduct of humanitarian assistance to the residents in the earthquake-affected areas. At times like this, the troop operates to accomplish their mission with no hesitation or paranoia that danger can claim their lives.
Chances are, though the CTGs were able to inflict casualties, this doesn’t mean that they possess a stronghold in the society that gives them the illusion that they are powerful.
“The ambush incident doesn’t change the fact that the CTGs are already weak. The KIAs and two others who survived were complacent that they never thought the enemy would ambush/kill them while they were not in combat mode,” said BGen. Audrey L. Pasia, 5ID Commander.
Bautista and Viernes have fallen, but they fell with dignity.
“Their death encourages us, even more, to go against the perpetrators and the remaining armed groups,” BGen. Pasia added.
Soldiers face danger at all times. But whatever the nature of the mission- combat or non-traditional security role, they always carry out dedication with utmost bravery. They protect the people and secure the land even if it means that they may fail to survive the hardest task- to go home alive to their families.# MAE BARANGAN
