Soldiers visit rebel in hospital

From the Visayan Daily Star (Dec 22): Soldiers visit rebel in hospital

A communist rebel who was injured in a gun battle early this month in Magpet town of North Cotabato got a new lease of life from the Army soldiers, he and his comrades fought with. Renante Dalon, who was bleeding profusely, was given first aid, evacuated and airlifted from the encounter site, on orders of Negrense Col. Ademar Tomaro, 602 nd Infantry Brigade commander, who supervised the brigade-size operations, 1Lt. Tony Bulao, Civil Military Operations officer, said. Dalon, who was armed with an AK-47 Kalashnikov rifle, was abandoned by his comrades when they saw him and another companion, named Ka Nikoy, fall as they fought with soldiers advancing toward their hilltop position, Bulao said. “It was a providential chance for us to show the NPAs that we have an Armed Forces that values the lives of Filipinos, regardless of whether they are enemies of the state or not,” Tomaro said.

The injured rebel, who is now recuperating from gunshot wounds in both legs at Camp Siongco Hospital in North Cotabao, was recently visited by Army chief Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, Major General Ceasar Ordoyo, 6 th Infantry Division commander, and Tomaro. Dalon also received packs of groceries and other provisions from Army officials, who checked his medical condition. Tomaro is supervising the combat operations of the combined elite Scout Rangers and Special Forces, 40 th and 57 th Infantry Battalions, that also led to the seizure of 11 rebel camps, recovery of several high-powered firearms and thousands of live ammunition, abandoned by fleeing rebels.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2012/December/22/negor3.htm