Kalinaw News: Army Officer and 2 Soldiers Die in Quezon Province Encounter

From Kalinaw News (Feb 10, 2021): Army Officer and 2 Soldiers Die in Quezon Province Encounter




“The life of a soldier is a life filled with sacrifices; one should always be prepared for anything.”

This was what 1Lt Romeo S Sabio Jr thought as he entered the Philippine Army as an enlisted personnel in 2013. As a Private, he was assigned to the Training and Doctrine Command based in Capas, Tarlac before deciding to further his military career as an officer being a proud member of the Philippine Army’s Officer Candidate School (OCS) “GAHIUSA” Class 48 – 2017.

After graduating as a 2nd Lieutenant, Sabio was assigned to the 85th Infantry Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Division where he soon became a platoon leader. His superiors and colleagues described him as an exemplary officer, a trusted friend, a true gentleman, and a good son whose heart really belongs to serving the Filipino people and country.

On February 5, 2021, Sabio and his men encountered the fleeing NPA terrorists that led to an intense firefight. As their group moved forward to the enemies’ position, he got separated from his men due to the rough terrain.

Determined to carry on, Sabio moved on his own to suppress the movement of the terrorists. Unfortunately, his subordinates were not able to aide him and lost contact after the heated exchange of fire. On February 6, his remains were found not far from the encounter site, presumably downed by a sniper.

Sabio was among the three casualties from the government side in the series of encounters within the week. Before his squad’s encounter against the rebels, another firefight erupted against the troops and the NPAs earlier that day, resulting in the untimely death of Sgt Helexor Arian V Placido and Cpl Jhon Paul P Palangan.

MGen Greg T Almerol, Commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, extended his sincere condolences to the bereaved families of the fallen soldiers and assured them of the government’s assistance during this difficult time.

“We give our snappiest salute to 1Lt Sabio Jr, Sgt Placido, and Cpl Palangan who paid the ultimate price in their quest to protect the people and bring peace to the country. We will see to it that their sacrifices will not be in vain.”

Ongoing pursuit operations have been launched and all available military assets have been placed on high alert.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/army-officer-and-2-soldiers-die-in-quezon-province-encounter/