Pinay tops military shootfest

A female soldier won the championship in the shooting contest at the ongoing 17th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Armies Rifle Meet in Thailand.

Cpl. Jennifer de Belen, a member of the Philippine Army shooting team, beat 45 other contenders from participating armies of 10 ASEAN member-countries, according to Maj. Harold Cabunoc, coach of the Army team.

“It is her fourth consecutive championship,” he said in an overseas call to The STAR from Thailand.

Cabunoc said De Belen placed first in precision match and third in combat shooting, over other pistol shooters from Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

De Belen’s teammate Pfc. Rodney Rizano won a silver in the individual rifle match, he added.

The Army team also won three bronze medals in the carbine match, as well as in the pistol competition for men and women.

This year’s competition started last Nov. 9 and would end on the 22nd of this month.

Last December, Philippine Army shooters brought home a total of nine golds and 32 silver medals after competing in the AARM in Hay Tay province in Vietnam.

The ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet is an annual shooting competition among Army personnel of ASEAN member countries.

The first AARM was held in Camp Terendak, Malacca, Malaysia in 1991.

The Philippines hosted the AARM at Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City in 1995 and in 2001.

During the 15th AARM in Brunei in 2005, the Philippines bagged the most number of gold medals and championship trophies (overall leader in team standings).