Last Taps: Remembering the Mandala Heroes (Part 1)

When bells for us are rung
And our last "taps" is sung
Let generations see
Our country free...

It was unfortunate that Mark Zember died when he, along with the majority of the Mandalans (PMA Class 2006), has just earned his third Vicks. Our orders as Captains came out just last year, March 25, seven years after graduating from the academy.

The Class of 2006 currently holds the record for being the biggest class to ever graduate from the University of Loakan (formerly Pamantasan na Malapit sa Airport) along with other distinctions such as most number of female graduates, most number of cadets graduating with another sibling, most number of Magna Cum Laude and Cum Laude, biggest class to ever enter the PMA and others.
Courtesy: pma2006.info

 Before we became captains in the tri- service (Army, Navy including the Marines and Air Force), thirteen members of the class have already been accorded their Last Taps. They died under various circumstances but the anguish that we felt over their deaths were all the same- that of a brother losing a brother. After all, we spent four (for some 5 or 6) years inside the academy together and we have forged a unique relationship through the years-“closer than brothers, thicker than blood”.

Between 2007 and 2013, I have received 13 different text messages starting with “Let us offer a one- minute prayer for Lt Dugumon Dugunits who died at…”Each time I received such message, I’d be overcome with sadness as I recall the person and my memories about him. I try to remember my last encounter with him and the last words he said to me or I said to him. And though I thank the Lord that the same fate did not fall on me (yet), I can’t help but feel a great loss. Losing a Mistah is like losing somebody so dear to you, someone whom shared a lot of good and bad memories with.

That’s how I felt when I received the sad news of Mark Gamboa’s death.

That’s how I felt when I got news of the passing away of Mark Evan, Ariel , Roldan, Eugene, Ermin, Albert, Dexter, Jojo, Angelica, Sherwin and Ferdinand.

Dhell Jhun Evangelista

Vangie as everybody called him, was easily one of the strongest cadets during our time. He ran laps aroundanybody who challenged him at the oval or Borromeo Field. He outdid almost any cadet in sit- ups, push- ups and pull- ups. He was one the contenders of the Mister CCAFP owing to his excellent physique- one which he developed through hard work and diligence. He was a very competitive cadet and he excelled in academics too (he graduated a few notches ahead of me). He easily got the Tarzan (strongest) award in any training or course because he was a physically- gifted person.

The last time I saw him was in Fort Magsaysay when he was training with the Light Reaction Battalion while I was undergoing my SF course. We were both having our endurance run then so we did not have the chance to talk except to cheer each other up with "takbo Mistah!". I did not know it would be the last time I would see him. He was one of the 23 soldiers who died while fighting rebels and terrorists on August 12, 2009 in Tipo-tipo, Basilan. According to what I’ve in read in the Inquirer: 

Lt. Col. Ronnie Evangelista, (the then Commanding Officer of the  Light Reaction Battalion) said Vangie and his men were able to kill around 20 of the enemy and recovered 17 high-powered firearms, including five machine guns and two rocket-propelled grenades, which had been previously taken from the Marines. “It was extraordinary and beyond the call of duty,” the report said. “They were met by an overwhelming force but still he displayed gallantry and led his troops despite being hit by enemy fire.”

The story of his gallantry in action is worth making into a movie. He was buried at his hometown in San Quintin, Pangasinan. I hope he gets the Medal for Valor Award albeit posthumously. He and his family surely deserved more. He deserves all the honors and respect not only from us his classmates and fellow soldiers but from the country as well.

Angelica Valdez

Courtesy: Inquirer.net

At first glance, you wouldn’t know that Angelica or Baldot was a soldier or an Air Force pilot at that. She was young and she looked like a college freshman. I knew her as a funny person but very reserved at the same time. I never had the chance to know her more because she rarely talked about herself or her family. Whenever she gave a comment on something I made sure I listened because it was always an intelligent one. A die-hard Aerocadet, she was among those who finished the flying course ahead of the other members of the Air Force group.

Baldot's soaring career as a pilot was suddenly cut short as narrated by this Inquirer report:

An Air Force general and eight other people were killed when a military Nomad plane crashed into a residential area here before noon Thursday, authorities said...Col. Rozzano Briguez, commander of the Philippine Air Force's Tactical Operations Group 11 based in Davao City, said the Nomad plane had come from Davao early morning Thursday and made a stopover at the Awang Airport in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. It was being piloted by Capt. Genaro Gaylord Ordonio, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 2000 and 1Lt. Angelica Valdez of the PMA Class 2006.

         She died doing what she loved and did best- flying. I am sure she is at peace.