MANILA, Philippines – To cap National Heroes' Day, President Rodrigo Duterte had dinner with soldiers wounded in action on Monday, August 29.
Sixty-four soldiers in their blue patient's garb were guests at Malacañang's Heroes Hall where they were served chicken sotanghon, grilled seafood, fish in coconut milk and mustard greens, mais con hielo, and other Filipino dishes.
Sixteen of the soldiers were those wounded in clashes in Cotabato. They were flown in the previous night by C130 so they could join the dinner.
SOURCE: RAPPLER
One of the 3 soldiers who gave testimonials in front of the President during the dinner was Second Lieutenant Jerome Jacuba, who was blinded by an explosion during clearing operations in Maguindanao.
Jacuba was the soldier who cried and hugged Duterte when the Commander-in-Chief visited the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center on August 2.
Duterte and the soldiers were joined by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP chief General Ricardo Visaya.
During the dinner, Duterte gave the soldiers electric wheelchairs and laptops. He said he wanted to "reinvent" them and even encouraged Jacuba to go back to school.
SOURCE: RAPPLER
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