Lacson Ensures 'Lower-Ranking' Soldiers in Indo Fishers' Rescue are Equally Recognized

More at: https://pinglacson.net/article/lacson-ensures-lower-ranking-soldiers-in-indo-fishers-rescue-are-equally-recognized

More than the commanders, the soldiers on the ground who risked their lives deserve to be honored.

Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson stressed this as he pushed for the inclusion of more than 50 soldiers' names in a resolution citing Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana for the rescue of Indonesian fishermen from the Abu Sayyaf in December 2019.

"Praise the commanders to high heavens if we must; just don't forget the soldiers who literally risked their lives to make the feat happen," Lacson, who heads the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, said on his Twitter account Monday afternoon.

On Monday, Lacson pushed for the inclusion in the Senate resolution of the names of officers and soldiers who took part in the rescue operations. The resolution allows Lorenzana and Sobejana to accept a prestigious award from Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

He proposed an amendment to include the names of the 50-plus soldiers in the body of the Senate's concurrent resolution, instead of being in the supporting documents.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III noted the names of the 50-plus soldiers are not included in the House concurrent resolution, but added the Senate version can accommodate them.

"I would like to think that we should include their names in the resolution as proposed, because they are the men on the ground. They risked their lives more than Sec. Lorenzana and former Chief of Staff Sobejana. They deserve to be cited in the proposed resolution," Lacson said. *****

Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8xZaJ-m5ug