Duterte condoles with families of deceased soldiers

Duterte on Monday midnight, February 20, first visited the wake of Army Major Jerico Mangalus at the Villamor Air Base (VAB) Mortuary in Pasay City. (File photo: Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines)/ Facebook)

MANILA –President Rodrigo Duterte personally extended his condolences and sympathies to the families of several soldiers who died recently.

Duterte on Monday midnight, February 20, first visited the wake of Army Major Jerico Mangalus at the Villamor Air Base (VAB) Mortuary in Pasay City.

Mangalus, 38, died due to multiple gunshot wounds he sustained in an ambush staged by the Maute terrorist group on February 16 in Marawi City.

The intelligence officer received a posthumous award from the President and Commander-in-Chief, who also extended financial assistance to the family of Mangalus as well as educational scholarship for his children.

The President also paid his last respects to three other soldiers whose remains lie in state at VAB.

He visited the wakes of former Navy officer Libert Chavez, who died of old age; Retired Air Force Msgt. Leonardo Fernando, who also died of old age; and Retired Air Force Col. Oscar Ibarra, who was killed by New People’s Army rebels in Ifugao.

From VAB, the President proceeded to the wake of Col. Orlando Suarez at the Libingan ng mga Bayani Mortuary in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Suarez, who served as the Assistant Defense and Armed Forces Attaché at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., died at age 50 on February 11 after suffering from a stroke while on an official trip to Honolulu, Hawaii.