Remains of young sniper brought to Manila

From the Philippine Star (Apr 8): Remains of young sniper brought to Manila

 

Pfc. Marlon Reyes, a trained sniper, was one of the three soldiers wounded in a two-hour encounter with members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Datu Saudi, Maguindanao, an aerial view of which is seen in this satellite image. Google Earth

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Uniformed and civilian personnel of the 6th Infantry Division on Tuesday bade goodbye to a young soldier who died on Easter Sunday from injuries sustained in a firefight last week with bandits in Datu Saudi town.

The cadaver of slain Pfc. Marlon Reyes, a trained sniper, was airlifted to Manila on Tuesday, en route to his hometown, Batangas City.

Reyes belonged to the 14th Mechanized Company of the Army's 1st Mechanized Battalion based in Sharif Aguak, the old provincial capital of Maguindanao.

Reyes, who succumbed to death while undergoing medication at a hospital, was one of three soldiers wounded in a two-hour firefight with members of the brigand Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in a secluded Barangay in Datu Saudi south of the province.

The 6th ID's rank-and-file personnel, led by the division's officer-in-charge, Col. Arnel Dela Vega, gave Reyes plane-side honors before facilitating the airlift of his remains from the Maguindanao Airport near Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat town to the Villamor Airbase in Metro Manila.

"He was nice to fellow soldiers and friends outside of the military circle when he was still alive," said Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay, spokesperson of the 6th ID.

Army and Marine units have had 29 encounters with the BIFF in seven towns in the second district of Maguindanao from February 28 to April 1.

The four-week military-BIFF face-off dislocated more than 120,000 villagers, now cramped in squalid evacuation sites.

Petinglay said Army units are now helping the regional government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the office of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu attend to the needs of evacuees following last week's deescalation of military offensives against the BIFF.

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/04/08/1441616/remains-young-sniper-brought-manila