Troopers of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), together with community volunteers and private donors, are building a house for the family of the late Joe Caramihan, who died in an armed conflict in Barangay Pinapugasan, Escalante City, Negros Occidental last year.

Caramihan, a former member of an anti-crime volunteer group, was among the casualties during the series of clashes from February 21 to 27, which also claimed the lives of three remnants of the New People’s Army in northern Negros.

1Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, 79IB civil-military operations officer, said in an interview yesterday that aside from the shelter assistance, the family has also received cash aid, livelihood support and educational assistance from national government agencies, the provincial government, and the local government unit (LGU).

“They are grateful for the assistance. We never abandoned them; we never treated them as enemies. They are victims of the false narrative and ideology of the communist-terrorist group,” he said.

Samoza said they facilitated the turnover of construction materials donated by the Felix G. Yusay Foundation to Caramihan’s widow, Susan Caramihan, for the construction of a house in Barangay Pinapugasan, in partnership with the LGU and Barangay Council of Pinapugasan.

“In the 79IB, we believe that true victory is not only measured by the battles we win, but also by the hearts we heal and the lives we help rebuild. This is also a reminder to our people that nothing good will ever come from armed struggle,” Lt. Colonel Eric Alfonso, acting commander of 79IB, said in a statement.

During the so-called “Battle of Pinapugasan,” which took place in Sitio Mansulao, three soldiers and a militiaman were wounded during the first encounter on February 21.

The week-long clashes displaced 1,092 individuals from 268 families and caused the suspension of classes in eight villages of Escalante City and the entire neighboring Toboso town. (PNA)