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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Update: PH Army general succumbs to COVID-19

Update: PH Army general succumbs to COVID-19

Published Sep 6, 2021 02:52 pm

Brig. Gen. Bagnus Gaerlan, assistant commander of the Philippine Army's 1st Infantry "Tabak" Division (1ID), died of acute respiratory failure caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Monday morning, Sept. 6.

Brig. Gen. Bagnus Gaerlan (File photo courtesy of Philippine Army 1st Infantry Division)

Gaerlan's death was confirmed to reporters by his batchmates at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Makatao" Class of 1989.

"It is with deep sadness that we would like to inform the friends and relatives of our mistah, BGen. Bagnus Gaerlan PMA '89, that he succumbed to the deadly COVID virus early this morning," said Major Gen. Ernesto Torres, Army chapter president of PMA Class '89, in a statement.

The Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) also issued a separate statement confirming Gaerlan's death.

"He died of acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID pneumonia," said Maj. Alfie Alonzo, Wesmincom spokesperson.

According to Alonzo, Gaerlan died at Zamboanga del Sur Medical City at exactly 5:19 a.m.

The military general tested positive in an antigen test last Sept. 2, and in an RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on Sept. 3. He got fully vaccinated with Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine.

No other details of his demise were released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as of this writing.

Gaerlan was serving as the assistant commander of the Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur-based 1ID which operates in Southern Mindanao.

Just last Aug. 18, Gaerlan spoke as a keynote speaker at the oath-taking ceremony of 196 candidate soldiers who started their rigorous 16-week basic military training at the 1ID Division Training School at Camp Major Cesar Sang-an in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.

The AFP has recorded a total of 17,133 COVID-19 cases since the onset of the pandemic last year, according to AFP spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala.

As of Sept. 5, there were 1,323 active cases; 15,244 recovered personnel; and 35 deaths in the military.

The details of Gaerlan's internment will be provided at a later date, said Torres. The PMA Class of 1989 also sent their condolences to Gaerlan's wife, Lanie, and their children.

"Keep safe, everyone! COVID indeed is very real and very dangerous. And it is on a surge," Torres said.

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9062021 bagnus gaerlan covid fatality covid-19 philippine army
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