Soldier shoved by Sueselbeck gets award

Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr. led military officers and civilian personnel at Monday’s flag-raising at Camp Aguinaldo as he awarded TSgt. Mariano Pamittan, the soldier who was shoved by the German fiance of slain Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude last week in attempt to get near the detention place of US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, the suspected killer.

MANILA, Philippines — “Three cheers for Tsg. Pamittan. Hep hep! Hooray! Hep hep! Hooray! Hep hep! Hooray!”

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Gregorio Catapang Jr. led the military officers and civilian personnel at Monday’s flag-raising at Camp Aguinaldo into cheer as he awarded Technical Sergeant Mariano Pamittan, the soldier shoved by the German fiance of slain Filipino transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude.

Catapang personally handed the plaque of recognition to Pamittan.

“With discipline and patience, Tsgt Pamittan displayed professionalism and exemplary composure under pressure when he was arrogantly shoved and debated by (Marc) Sueselbeck in front of many people. His calm, positive and respectful demeanor lived up to the motto, ‘Kawal disiplinado, bawal abusado. Dapat Asintado,’ thereby rising above the situation with much decency over the ride, offensive and uncouth actions of Sueselbeck,” part of the citation read.

“He deserves it because he was doing his job and he did not react violently even if he was dishonored,” Catapang later told reporters.

“We are just recognizing ang pagiging (his being) steadfast and [control of] his emotion. If other people cannot control their emotion we want to show our soldiers can control their emotion even if they are put up in a situation like that,” he said.

It was Pamittan who was on duty when Sueselbeck and Marilou, the fiance and the sister of the slain Laude, climbed the fence to get near the detention center of Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, the suspected killer of Laude. The US Marine is currently being held at the joint US Military Assistance Group at the military’s main headquarters.

Pamittan, who served 18 years in Mindanao as a Scout Ranger, said he was just doing his job.

“Sa akin okay lang po. Bilang isang sundalo ginampanan ko lang ‘yung tungkuli namin. ‘Yung pagtulak sa akin wala na sa akin ‘yun,” he told reporters.

(It was just okay. I was just doing my jobs as a soldier. I no longer mind that I was shoved.)

Catapang said he already ordered an investigation to see if there were any security lapses from the incident.

“We will investigate what really happened. Ang importante (Pamittan) was there, ‘yun ang order sa kanya (to man that specific area). Kung paano pumasok ‘yung other personalities na meron namang limit that is being investigated (What was important was that Pamittan was there, that was the order to him. How the other personalities got in despite their limits is being investigated),” he said.

‘The soldier deserves it’

Atty. Harry Roque, legal counsel of the Laude family said the soldier deserved his award for exercising maximum tolerance.

“That’s for AFP. I think the soldier deserves it for understanding the grief of the family,” he said in a text message.

However, he said that the government should focus on the real issue.

“Government should not deflect on the real issue of how Pemberton could be brought to justice for murder. Marc has apologized and the AFP has accepted. Matter should be closed. Preventing his departure was insensitive and cruel to one who is already down and out. Wish government can cause even half the harassment Marc is getting to the suspected murderer, Pemberton whom our government can’t seem to lay even a finger on,” Roque said.

 Originally posted at 09:40 am | October 27, 2014

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