Full honors given to slain Ranger

From the Visayan Daily Star (Jul 28): Full honors given to slain Ranger

Negrense PFC Ramonito Occeña, a member of the elite Scout Ranger unit, who died in a gunbattle with the Maute terrorist group in Marawi, was accorded full military honorsyesterday afternoon, upon the arrival of his remains at the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Negros Occidental.

The remains of Occeña, a member of the 3rd Scout Ranger Company, Special Operations Command, that was previously assigned in central Negros, was flown in by a Philippine Air Force Nomad aircraft from Laguindingan Airport in Misamis, Negros Occidental, Capt. Eduardo Precioso, 3rd Infantry Division spokesman, said.

Precioso said the body of Occeña was immediately transported to his home in Brgy. Manlocahoc, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, escorted by members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion.

The 79th Infantry Battalion is expected to provide honor guards during the wake forOcceña.

The death toll among security forces, who have engaged the ISIS-inspired Maute terrorist group for more than two months now, has already reached 109, as of this week, military records show.

Before his death, Occena was reported to have been injured in an encounter with the Maute terrorist group on June 4. Just like other Scout Ranger troopers, who were also injured in the fight with the terrorist group, Occeñareturned to action, two weeks after recuperating from his gunshot injuries.

Occena joined the Scout Ranger Regiment in 2011.

He was the third Negrense to die in the fight against the Maute gang in Marawi. The two others were S/Sgt. Joseph Villanueva of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, and 2Lt. MacGlenAbuyabor of Bais City, Negros Oriental.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2017/July/28/topstory2.htm