BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A tracking working dog of the Philippine Army was honored on Tuesday by the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) for participating in the successful military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Island.
Ella, a Belgian Malinois, received a Military Merit Medal, along with his handler Private First Class Dave Calumbres.
The award was handed over by 3ID commander Major General Benedict Arevalo.
The ceremony took place at the headquarters of the 11th Infantry Battalion in the town of Siaton in Negros Oriental.
An Army Scout platoon leader and 10 of his men, including Calumbres and the K9 dog, were cited for their role in the armed encounter in the town of Sibulan on Holy Thursday, April 14, which resulted to the death of an NPA member which they later identified as a squad leader of the insurgents.
According to Arevalo, Ella and his handler helped track down the fleeing rebels and later the discovery of the dead NPA fighter.
Military Merit Medals were also conferred to 19 soldiers, including four officers, of the 94th Infantry Battalion , as well as 12 CAFGU members, who were also involved in another encounter with communist rebels also on April 14 in Barangay Caradio-an, Himamaylan City, that led to the death of another NPA leader.
A Wounded Personnel Medal was also given to a member of the 94IB who was injured in the Himamaylan City encounter./PN
