DAVAO CITY – His “mistahs (batchmates)” in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Mandala” Class of 2006 remembered the late Major Marvin Indammog as a silent, but a “very efficient officer”.
Cavalier Mac Donald Ramos, his company mate at the Delta Company during their days as PMA cadets, recalled that Indammog was a quiet and unassuming man.
“One who would rather bear his pain in silence and not bother or inconvenience anyone else,” said Ramos in his prepared eulogy, which was obtained by Manila Bulletin.
Like the other members of Mandala class, Ramos admitted that he was enraged by the killing of Indammog, especially because it involved “supposed colleagues and partners in bringing peace to our country, no less”.
“Marvin, bok, mistah, companymate, I bid you farewell. You will be sorely missed, you have done your duty, you have made the ultimate sacrifice. You have completed your mission,” the emotional mistah said as he delivered his eulogy, which was also livestreamed on Facebook on July 2 in Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila.
The remains of Indammog has been brought to his hometown in Kalinga on Friday, July 3.
Another mistah, who was also an intelligence officer like Indammog, said he was a discreet and a very efficient officer.
“The unit in Sulu accomplished so much under his watch,” said the Army officer, who asked anonymity because of the nature of his job.
The officer, who, like Indammog, hails from Northern Luzon and was once assigned in Northern Mindanao, also said the Army officer’s death dealt a big blow to the intelligence community, adding that he was perhaps one of the best among the young breed of intelligence operatives.
And it was this intelligence acumen that brought Indammog to Basilan and Sulu for many years, according to him.
Indammog, 39, along with Captain Irwin Managuelod, 33; Sergeant Jaime Velasco, 38; and Corporal Abdal Asula, 33, were slain in what the police first described as a “misencounter” in downtown Jolo last June 29. The Philippine National Police (PNP) has since changed its assessment, and said the four Army men’s slay was a result of a “shooting incident”.
Indammog was the commanding officer of the Army’s Ninth Intelligence Security Unity (ISU), and he and his men were tracking two suicide bombers under Abu Sayyaf leader Mundi Sawadjaan when the police flagged them down at a checkpoint. They were instructed by the police to proceed to a Jolo police station.
However, based on other reports, the soldiers parked some 50 meters away from the checkpoint to supposedly talk to the police officers. Police report further claimed that the soldiers started to level their weapons at them, prompting them to defend themselves.
But an enraged Army Chief Lt. Gen Gilbert Gapay said it was a rubout and not a shootout.