Negros, Panay soldiers killed in Marawi battles, Army says

From the Visayan Daily Star (Jun 5): Negros, Panay soldiers killed in Marawi battles, Army says

Four Army soldiers from Negros and Panay,have died in the series of gunbattles with the Maute terror group in Marawi City, Lanao del Norte.

The 15th Infantry Battalion, that had been dispatched by the 3rd Infantry Division to Mindanao several years ago, suffered three casualties in the ongoing clearing of Marawi City of ISIS-inspired Maute terrorist group.

Killed were SSgt. Joseph Villanueva of Brgy.Puso, La Castellana in Negros Occidental, Sgt. ThrolenLago of Mambusao,Capiz and PFC Anthony Capulot of Leon,Iloilo, all members of the 15th Infantry Battalion, military records show.

A C-130 Air Force cargo plane delivered the bodies of the three slain Army soldiers to Negros Occidental,Iloilo and Capiz on Saturday. They are now with their families.

The three Army soldiers, as well as Army 2Lt. MacGlenAbuyabor, a member of the elite Light Reaction Company, of Bais City, Negros Oriental, died in the Marawigunbattle, that has been raging for more than a week now.

Aside from the 15IB, the 11th Infantry Battalion had also been dispatched last year by the 3rd Infantry Division to Zamboanga City, as ordered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Ma. Gen. Jon Aying, 3ID commander, however, said that there is no advice to pull out more troops from Negros Island Region, to be displayed inMarawi siege.

Late last year, the the 302nd Infantry Brigade and the 47th Infantry Battalion were also pulled out from Negros, as the 3ID area of operations was expanded to Central Visayas, including Cebu and Bohol.

This prompted the 3ID to organize the 1st and 2nd Negros Island Geographical Battalions, that are composed of about 1,000 members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit and Philippine Army reservists, to augment regular Army soldiers in the conduct of non-traditional military activities.

The dates of that burials of the four Army soldiers have yet to be determined. But they are expected to be accorded full military honors, the 3ID Public Affairs Division Office said.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2017/June/05/topstory5.htm