Army accounts (for) missing hero soldier

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 6): Army accounts (for) missing hero soldier

The 8th Infantry Division on Friday announced that it has finally accounted (for) one of its soldiers who was reported missing after being swept by the storm surge caused by Supertyphoon "Yolanda" last November 8.

Capt. Amado Gutierrez, 8th Infantry Division spokesperson, said they found out Thursday that the body of Staff Sgt. Rolando Hidalgo was retrieved last December 3 and already laid to rest.

Hidalgo was a member of the security team of 8th Infantry Division commanding officer, Major Gen. Jet A. Velarmino, who helped his comrades survive the onslaught of "Yolanda."

Hidalgo's cadaver was recovered last Dec. 3 in Diyo Island which is two kilometers away from Dioscoro Papa Naval Station in Barangay San Jose, Tacloban City.

He was missing for three weeks until his remains was found.

Gutierrez said Hidalgo was already laid to rest at the Superior Memorial Garden Cemetery in Barangay Diit, Tacloban City last December 4.

According to his fellow security team members -- Staff Sgt. Carlo Caracol and Cpl. Rolando Del Monte -- Hidalgo helped them survive the storm surge.

“When we were initially swept by the storm surge, Staff Sgt. Hidalgo got hold of a floating refrigerator and swam towards our position until we also got hold of the refrigerator,” Caracol recounted.

They all survived the initial wave of the storm surge. However, when the second wave hit them, they got separated with Caracol and Del Monte managing to get hold of a log,

“We survived because of Staff Sgt. Hidalgo. Without him sharing the floating refrigerator, we could have died as well.. We will be forever grateful to him,” Del Monte said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=594229