BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III has awarded two Ilonggo military officers the Distinguished Conduct Star, the second highest Philippine military decoration, during a flag-raising ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City Monday.
The awards were conferred on Lt. Col. Oriel Pangcog, commander of the elite 1st Scout Ranger Battalion (SRB) in Negros Occidental, and Lt. Gen. Rey Ardo, commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command.
Pangcog, an Ilonggo, led his men in more than three weeks of intense fighting with about 400 Moro National Liberation Front — Nur Misuari faction in Zamboanga City.
Ardo, a Negrense, also received the same award for successfully accomplishing his mission in the Zamboanga crisis last September.
The Distinguished Conduct Star is awarded to AFP soldiers who distinguished themselves by doing an extra ordinary act of gallantry in action and acts of heroism.
The Zamboanga City conflict started Sept. 9 when about 400 followers of Misuari occupied about six barangays and took some 200 civilians as hostages.
Pangcog attributed the award he received to his men. He also recommended that similar awards be given to four enlisted personnel of 1st SRB, among them PFC Ian Paquit, who was wounded in the Zamboanga incident. Despite his injuries, Paquit insisted on returning to the battle zone, where he died later, Pangcog said.
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said 550 officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP have been awarded.
Leading the Gold Cross Medal awardees was Army — 1Lt. Francis Damian who died from gunshot wounds sustained during an encounter with MNLF fighters. (FREEMAN)