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COMPASSION, instead of persecution,
is what the recently captured NPA Amazon Sunshine Eulalio
has been receiving from the 8th Infantry Division,
Philippine Army. No less than a free hospitalization at the
Command's Camp Lukban Station Hospital (CLSH) has been provided.
Since her "rescue" by
elements of the 19th Infantry Battalion during an encounter
in Albuera, Leyte from the hands of the Communist Terrorists
who are harrasing and extorting from the civilian populace
in the area, where Sunshine has been wounded, care and sympathy
has been given to her in the form of free hospitalization
initially in Ormoc City hospital then to the Eastern Visayas
Medical Center in Tacloban City and to her new "home",
here in Camp Lukban Station Hospital.
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Her "rescue" is credited to the unflinching observance
of the 8ID troops of the Rules of Engagement and the International
Humanitarian Law governing armed conflict, where wounded personnel,
including the people's enemy, should be given care and compassion,
as they are also human beings, with a family also waiting
for them. She has been particularly abandoned in vain of her
former comrades. "Naalala ko
pa ang sinabi ng mga kasamahan ko noon sa kilusan, hindi kami
mag iiwanan. Noong na-wounded ako sa engkwentro at nahospital,
wala man lang dumamay at tumulong sa akin na kasama sa kilusan.
Mabuti na lamang at mababait at disiplinado and mga sundalong
nagligtas sa akin. Tunay na walang knabukasan sa kilusan".
Sunshine lamented.
From her confinement in CLSH last 02 February 2005, she had
undergone series of surgical operations. Four blood donors
from among the soldier students of the 8th Division Training
Unit donated thier blood for her sake as she has to undergo
a major application of External Fixator under general anesthesia
operation on her right arm as a result of her wound inflicted
during the encounter with NPA Terrorists last 29 January 2005.
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The Camp Lukban Station Hospital normally caters only for
military personnel and their dependents but it extended its
help to Sunshine during her pre-operation phase and later
on, in her recuperation. Despite limited Command resources,
substatial amount has been set aside to cover for her medicines
and other expenses while she is on the road to recovery.
Thus, Sunshine's mother, Cristita P Eulalio, has been very
vocal and proud of the 8ID's support to Sunshine's hospitalization
that she became emotional when asked of what she thinks of
her daughter's present condition. "Nagpapasalamat kami
sa Philippine Army sa pagbibigay ng bagong buhay sa aking
anak gayundin sa lahat ng tulong na naibigay sa aming pamilya.
Tunay na mababait at disiplinado ang mga sundalo na pinahahalagahan
and buhay ng ating kapwa Pilipino.
After Sunshine's recuperation, she shall be turned over
to the Department of Social Welfare and Development where
she will be given a chance to recover her "lost
life" while with the Communist
movement. Skills training would most probably be provided
to her, enough for her to live a normal and happy way of life
with her family.
Brig Gen Bonifacio Ramos, the 8ID's
General Officer-in-Charge, in his statement said, "Now
is the time to heal and the time to unit. We are calling on
our lost fellow Filipinos who have been deceived into believing
thier futile cause to open their minds and let the spirit
of reconciliation and unity be instilled in their hearts and
minds as the only solution to our nation's problems cannot
be achieved through force of arms or revolution, but rather
by collective efforts of not only the goverment agencies but
alos the non-government entities and most importantly the
civilian populace, in our quest for a lasting peace and prosperity
for our country. That is the hope of every freedom loving
Filipino".
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