Aquino welcomes Pinoy peacekeepers from Golan Heights

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino led a hero’s welcome yesterday for the 7th Philippine contingent to the Golan Heights, paying tribute to what they had done for the country and the world.

The President praised the troops for their courage and intelligence and for being a source of the country’s pride.

“In behalf of the nation, let me thank all of you,” Aquino said.

But rather than rest on their laurels, the soldiers are preparing for their next mission – protecting the Pope on his visit next year.

Some 330 soldiers from the Philippine contingent will be assigned to protect Pope Francis during his visit in January.

The Filipino peacekeepers say they were “very much excited” about their new assignment, and had already begun preparing a training program.

Lt. Col. Ted Damusmog, 7th Philippine contingent to Golan Heights commander, downplayed any threat posed by the Islamic State (IS), a radical Islamist group that has made threats against the Pope.

“As of now, we do not see any threat coming from the (IS)… we are concentrating more on the protection of the Pope,” Damusmog told reporters after the award ceremony.

Damusmog said the assignment would be challenging even if it was not a combat mission, but their Golan Heights experience would help them in their preparations.

“Looking at our experience also, I think, we gained a lot of confidence in dealing with the international community,” he said.

He said the soldiers would coordinate with the Philippine National Police.

“Presently we are… reorganizing our units. Definitely, it will be a different mission and we are already preparing our training,” Damusmog said.

In his speech during the awards ceremony for the peacekeepers, President Aquino also addressed controversy over the soldiers’ much-publicized escape from Syrian rebels in August, saying Philippine troops must not be made to carry out a “mission impossible.”

Aquino said the government was awaiting results of an investigation into a United Nations Disengagement Observer Force commander’s criticism of the Filipinos’ alleged cowardice and disobedience to the chain of command.

The President said the outcome of the investigation would form the basis of the country’s future deployment of peacekeepers as part of the international community.

“Let me just repeat, we cannot allow them to put our troops in a situation where it is impossible or the mission that they have to carry out is not clear. Everyone’s life is important,” Aquino said.

In May 2013, Syrian rebels kidnapped Filipino troops.

Aquino said at that time, the Philippine government was already seeking to clarify the exact role of the soldiers in Golan Heights. – With Alexis Romero