From Marawi; 200 soldiers of 8th ID back home to EV

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — At least 200 soldiers of the 82nd Reconnaissance Battalion of the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division arrived Tacloban City on Sunday afternoon from a 5-month battle against the ISIS-backed Maute terrorists in Marawi City.

Colonel Alberto Desoyo, 8th ID chief of staff who led the welcome ceremony at the Tacloban Airport, said the soldiers were emotionally reunited with their families and fellow soldiers, after which they will undergo a month-long stress debriefing before they will be sent back to their respective field of assignment.

“I am happy to have them back safe and strong after the 5-month war against the Mute/ISIS extremists in Marawi,” Desoyo said.

One company of the 82nd RB was among those who were deployed to Marawi sometime last June. They finally returned home to their mother unit in Catbalogan City in Samar, including the remains of a sergeant who died during the Maute seige.

Meanwhile, the soldiers of the 63rd Infantry Battalion, based in Northern Samar and also under the 8th ID earlier sent to Marawi, were also expected to arrive yesterday (Monday), together with the remains of their co-soldier who died during the battle. (FREEMAN)