Eight soldiers and a civilian involved in a vehicular accident in Barangay Angilan, Omar, Sulu, on Monday, October 27, are still confined in hospitals while undergoing treatment for serious wounds, contusions, and bone fractures.
Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commanding general of the Philippine Army, visited the injured personnel and the civilian on Friday, October 31, at the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City, where he provided them with cash assistance for their immediate needs.
Five of the injured soldiers are confined at the military hospital, while the rest are in a private medical facility, according to radio reports from Cotabato City on Saturday morning.
‘We assured them that the Philippine Army, as an organization, will extend all forms of assistance they need for their recovery,’ Nafarrete said in a text message to reporters.
The victims were aboard a military vehicle that reportedly rolled over along a highway stretch in Barangay Angilan after the driver lost control due to mechanical trouble.
Nafarrete thanked villagers and local government emergency responders for helping transport the victims to nearby medical dispensaries in Sulu for first aid before they were airlifted to Zamboanga City for further treatment.
Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, commander of Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), said they continue to monitor the patients’ condition and are providing them with necessary support for their recovery.