'Filipinos are among the bravest peacekeepers in the world,' says Senator Teofisto Guingona III
The Senate on
Monday, September 8, adopted a Resolution 52 praising the Filipino peacekeepers
in the Golan Heights for their "exemplary
courage and resolve in the recent standoff against Syrian rebels."
“Despite being
surrounded and outnumbered by the Syrian rebels, the Filipino peacekeepers
refused to surrender their arms and continued to defend their position, leading
to a four-day standoff,” the resolution read.
It added: “After
withstanding seven hours under heavy fire, the Filipino peacekeepers, low on
ammunition, successfully planned and implemented what was dubbed as the
“greatest escape” under cover of darkness and cold weather.”
Philippine
military chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr received the commendation in
the Senate plenary. Joining him were deputy chief of staff for operations
Brigadier General Oscar Lactao, deputy chief of staff for Civil Military
Operations Major General Lysander Suerte, miiltary spokesman Major General
Domingo Tutaan Jr, and peacekeeping operations chief Colonel Roberto Ancan.
Earlier,
Malacañang also spoke of a heroes welcome for
the troops.
Syrian rebels on
August 28 trooped to 2 UN facilities in Golan manned by Filipino peacekeepers
to demand the surrender of the firearms. The Filipinos refused, prompting a
standoff that escalated to a 7-hour firefight on August 31. The troops in one
encampment would be extracted by fellow peacekeepers. The other group escaped,
which was in defiance of the
United Nations commander who wanted them to surrender their firearms. (READ: PH and Fiji in Golan: One order,
different outcomes)
Separate
resolutions to commend the Golan troops were also filed by Senators Manuel
“Lito” Lapid, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and
Antonio “Sonny Trillanes IV.
Guingona said the
troops demonstrated that "Filipinos are among the bravest peacekeepers in
the world.”
http://www.rappler.com/nation/68506-senate-resolution-golan
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