Lead, Excel and Overcome

Cpt "E" reminisced their battlefield experience: “The five-month battle against the terrorists was not a walk in the park. It was pure grit and hard work – or simply, blood, sweat and tears. Almost daily there were casualties from both sides. But despite everything that we had to overcome, we would still find time to cheer ourselves up. We were trained to be ‘cool under fire’ at all times. But sometimes there were instances when we felt frustrated also, borne out of our earnest desire to accomplish our mission the soonest.”

He added that everytime he saw some of his troops tired and low-spirited, he would huddle with them and slowly recite lines from General Charles de Gaulle’s Military Professionalism: “...in the world of command, they must rise, march, run, endure bad weather, go out without sleep or food, be isolated in some distant post and work until they drop. They have ceased to become the masters of their own fate. If they drop on their tracks, if their ashes are scattered to the four winds, that is all part and parcel of their job.’

Cpt "E" would then follow with lines from Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata: 

“...whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

He added: “Then I would look at their eyes, at their faces. After a few seconds, we would end up shaking our heads while smiling at the situation we were into at that time. Indeed, many would consider our self-help gestures as petty and funny but they helped reenergize us and got us through those rough days.” 

---NO MAN LEFT BEHIND (2018 / Copy&Share)

There Is A Time For Everything

For 2Lt "J" though, Marawi was a nightmare. “Many soldiers lost their lives while trying to drive out terrorists who had attacked Marawi,” he said. “My family was so worried during that time. They kept asking, ‘When will it end?’ In moments like those, I just prayed with my fellow soldiers. I kept my faith and humbly held on to the wisdom of what was stated in the Holy Bible in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace’.”

He added: “Indeed, everything has its reason and purpose. And I feel blessed that I have been able to come home and enjoy the peace that we had worked hard for – especially by those who had sacrificed their lives in the field of battle. To them, I give my utmost respect, eternal gratitude and snappiest salute!” 

--NO MAN LEFT BEHIND (2018/Copy&Share)

Never Forget

Deadly red-flashes of gunfires relentlessly occupied the battle zone leaving no chance for the accumulated dust and smoke to settle down. But while everything seemed in disarray and loud, golden yellow skies quietly, and as if with utter disregard of the ongoing mayhem, enveloped the horizon. Dusk begun to set in, and darkness steadily engulfed the area. Slowly, but eerily, the exchange of gunfires came to a temporary stop. It, however, lasted for about an hour. The troops established a defensive position to hold for the night.

Cpt "E", anticipating a brutal fight, made sure that his troops understood the movement plan. He instructed 2Lt "J" to lead the platoon with Ranger "S". Their tactical movement was synchronized with 1SRC.

Ranger "S" would later reveal that being in Marawi really took its toll on him. He recalled, “Tanong ko araw-araw sa Panginoon, ‘Lord, kailan ba matatapos itong giyera sa Marawi?’ Ang dami nang namatay na sundalo at nasugatan. Sa araw- araw na putukan may nalalagas talaga na tropa. Higit sa lahat ay kawawa ang mga residente ng Marawi lalo na ang mga bata at matatanda, at lalong-lalo na yung mga may kapansanan at mga may karamdaman sa katawan.” [“I asked God every day, ‘Lord when will this war in Marawi end?’ A lot of soldiers had been killed and wounded. In our day-to-day operations, troops die. Worse, the local residents of Marawi were greatly affected, especially the young and old, the disabled, and the sick.”]

At about 5:30 p.m., the movement was halted due to very limited visibility. Troop movement under such condition is highly risky. In any case, it had already turned out to be a bad day for the troops. It was the kind of day that would drive people with less resolve to give up. Yet, the Rangers had to soldier on. Now, they didn’t even have any idea when their Marawi stint would end. 

--NO MAN LEFT BEHIND (2018)

Let It Be

Ranger O" had been on edge the entire time. “Iniisip ko, ang mga kalaban namin, nakadepensa lang at nagaabang na sa amin. Ito ay mahirap dahil sa konting pagkakamali, maari kaming bumagsak. Ayokong maunahan kami. Sa isip ko noon, kung enkwentro ay mag-enkwentro na agad para magkaalaman na. Mas mahirap kasi yung napakatahimik ng buong paligid pero alam naman namin na nasa paligid lang ang kalaban. [My thinking at that time was that our enemies were just waiting for us, they were in defensive mode. This can be tricky because even a slight mistake on our part can lead to our downfall. I don’t want the enemy to surprise us. If there will be an encounter, let that encounter be now so we can see what’s what. It’s hardest when the entire place is quiet knowing fully well that the enemy is just within the vicinity, lurking around and ready to pounce].”

The suspense was just too much for Ranger "O". The troops were on high alert. A firefight was expected to happen at any time.

--NO MAN LEFT BEHIND (2018/Copy&Share)

Our Today for Your Tomorrow

"For duty, honor, and our Country, we will give all."

“When I spoke to Lieutenant "A", I sensed he was doing his best to be strong for his men. His voice was a bit shaky but sounded determined. I informed him that we were already in the area. He then asked: ‘Sir, malapit na ba kayo? Saan na kayo? [Sir, are you near? Where are you?]”

Cpt "C" referred to his GPS device to let 1Lt "A" know where he was. “I was giving him my grid coordinates so he could picture where we were. Pero hindi na n’ya masabi kung saan talaga s’ya kasi wala na pala s’yang GPS [But he couldn’t say his exact location because he no longer had his GPS]. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack because there were so many houses in the area that stood one after the other. We will really have to look for them.”

1Lt "A" and his men were holed up in one of the many houses in the kill zone. With their GPS long gone, soldiers looking for them would have to search without any grid coordinates pointing to their whereabouts. Around the trapped MechBn troops were shattered glasses and other debris. Houses and structures peppered with gunshots, and the grim sight and stench of decomposing human remains, most of which were charred beyond recognition. It was a zone never for the faint-hearted.

Cpt "C" assured 1Lt "A" and the rest of the MechBn troops that they would do whatever it takes to rescue them.

The commander of the 1st Scout Ranger Company (1SRC) realized that the trapped men were already disoriented from their ordeal, moving from house to house to evade the enemy. They were weak with fatigue, hunger, and lack of sleep.

“I was really affected by the fact that our fellow soldiers were trapped and vulnerable to the enemy,” Cpt "C" said. “Kaya gusto ko talagang palakasin ang loob ni [I really wanted to boost the morale of] Lieutenant "A". I restrained my emotions and just kept giving him encouragement. I knew he was doing his best to remain strong for his men.” 

--NO MAN LEFT BEHIND (2018)

NO MAN LEFT BEHIND: A Story of Valor in the Battle of Marawi

NO MAN LEFT BEHIND (2018)

The Battle of Marawi brought out many stories of gallantry, courage, dedication to duty of our troops and the resilience of Marawi residents. These stories came to light during the city’s darkest times. The Battle of Marawi also strengthened us as a nation. As diverse as we are, we were unified by our desire to live peacefully and we will face with ferocious fervor all those who would disturb that peace.

This book, “No Man Left Behind,” reminds us all of what happened, of the things we should have done but failed to do, of the lessons learned and the best practices that may aid us in the future.

This book indeed serves as a call that guarding our nation from those that imperils it is a shared responsibility by all of us.

This is not to celebrate the Siege of Marawi, but to remember the heroism of soldiers, the residents as well as other individuals and groups who sacrificed their lives during that five-month long conflict.

The Department of National Defense hopes that these achievements in Marawi City will be a catalyst that shall bring to the fore future cooperation and partnerships not only against terrorism but also against other national and regional security threats.

It is my sincere hope that this book will awaken the interest of our people specially the younger generation that “vigilance is the price of liberty”.

DELFIN N. LORENZANA
Secretary of National Defense 

--NO MAN LEFT BEHIND (2018)