Filipino Peacekeepers Receive UN Service Medals

Lieutenant Colonel Nolie L Anquillano receives his UN Service Medal from AFP Chief of Staff General Emmanuel T Bautista in an awarding ceremony for the 6^th Philippine Contingent to Golan Heights and Liberia that was held today, December 18, at the GHQ Grandstand.

Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City—With a sigh of relief, Filipino peacekeepers formally reunited with their families and received today, December 18, their United Nations Service Medal after more than a year of deployment to Golan Heights and Liberia.

The peacekeepers were welcomed by the AFP Chief of Staff General Emmanuel T Bautista who also congratulated them for accomplishing their mission despite constant threats on their safety.

The 332-strong 6^th Philippine Contingent to Golan Heights, led by LtCol Nolie L Anquillano, finished their one-year deployment after receiving world-wide attention with two incidents of being held in captivity by Syrian rebels in March and in May this year.

Despite being released safely on both occasions, questions on their immediate pull-out were raised. The Philippine government continued the all-Philippine Army contingent’s deployment after the UN agreed to bolster the safety of the UN peacekeeping force.

A posthumous award was also conferred to Sgt Benson Angot who died of malaria on October 22 while on his duty in Golan Heights. His wife, Rodalyn Angot, received the award for the fallen soldier.

Meanwhile, the 115-strong 17^th Philippine Contingent to Liberia (PCL), which was deployed in July last year, completed their mission of assisting in the maintenance of law and order in the country following a ceasefire that ended the Second Liberian Civil War. The all-Philippine Air Force contingent was led by its contingent commander, Col Fidel Igmedio T Cruz Jr.

Both contingents performed peacekeeping duties including manning and patrolling operating foot and mobile patrols day and night, VIP protection, and other administrative roles.

Peacekeepers Held Hostage Twice

In March and in May this year, a total of 25 peacekeepers were captured by Syrian rebels while performing their duties near high-risk conflict areas near Syria.

A group of 21 contingents led by Army Major Dominador Valerio was stopped by Syrian rebels on their way back from  a supply run in Al Jamlah village on March 6. The peacekeepers were later released near the Jordanian border on March 11 after a series of negotiations with officials from the UN Disengagement Force.

Meanwhile on May 7, four peacekeepers led by Cpt Arlis Jardin were taken by Syrian rebels while on reconnaissance and static observation mission. With the help of Col Cirilito Sobejana, Chief of Staff of UNDOF and Commander of the Philippine Peacekeeping Force in Golan Heights; Syrian Arab Red Crescent Movement; and UNDOF negotiators, the peacekeepers were released on May 12.