FORT BONIFACIO, Metro Manila – FORT BONIFACIO, Metro Manila – The Comanding General Philippine Army (CGPA) visited the 6th Infantry Division (6ID) headquarters in Camp Siongco Awang Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao today, December 27, 2019.
Lt. Gen. Gilbert I. Gapay, CGPA, visited the 6ID to lead the awarding of Wounded Personnel Medal to three soldiers who were injured in a grenade explosion while they were conducting a mobile patrol along Sinsuat Avenue, in Cotabato City on December 22.
The wounded personnel who were honored are Staff Sergeant Ariel M. Lumagod, Private First Class Alijon B. Jimenez and Private Reymond F. Oyan.
During his visit, Gapay also took the time to address the troops to congratulate them on the productive year and urged them to remain alert and vigilant even after the upcoming lifting of the Martial Law.
Apart from his visit to the troops, Gapay also conferred with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, Al Haj and Grand Mufti Abu Hurairah Udasan as well as with Sultan Kudarat Governor Teng Mangugagatu.
Gapay expressed the Army’s continued support to BARMM’s Joint Peace and Security Team during his meeting with the region’s leaders. The Joint Peace and Security Team is tasked to protect the civilian communities during its transition to a fully established regional government by 2022.
“We will work hand in hand in capacitating and training them so they could better perform their mandate,” said Gapay.
Gapay also met with the 6ID Commander and its Brigade and Battalion Commanders to discuss ways on how to best support and best capacitate them to mitigate or minimize casualties.
“The Philippine Army is working to fully capacitate our frontline units for its mission accomplishment while also ensuring the higher survivability rate of the troops, as the strength of the Army lies not only on its modern equipment but on the men and women who took the oath to serve the people and secure the land,” said Gapay.#