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By Joselle Badilla, Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mindanao Bureau

It was only two days past his 22nd birthday when 2nd Lt. Charlie Anthony Camelon died.

Charlie, a platoon leader in the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion, was among the 16 soldiers killed in an encounter in Barangay Tambaking in Maimbung town, Sulu province, on Aug. 9.

Sulu was Charlie’s first assignment after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy on March 19. A native of Mauban, Quezon, he was a member of the PMA’s Maragtas (Marangal na Tagapagligtas) Class of 2007.

For some reason, Charlie was nicknamed “Hotdog.”

Retired M/Sgt. Miguelito Camelon said Charlie, the elder of his two children, had been looking forward to a military career.

All that ended on Thursday, when Camelon received a text message informing him of Charlie’s death and causing a pain so singular that he could barely describe it on the phone: “Masakit. Napakasakit. Walang kasingsakit.”

Charlie’s mother, Aloha, did not even know where he was.

“It wasn’t in our expectation that this will happen this soon. Of course, there’s always that risk,” the father said. “But what’s unfortunate is, I never told his mother that he was assigned to Sulu. He was already dead when she learned about it.”

Last time together

The last time the family saw Charlie was in April in Lucena City, before he left for Mindanao.

Charlie was in Lucena for just eight hours to attend a seminar, and the family traveled from nearby Mauban and rendezvoused with him at the SM Mall -- their last “bonding” time, the father recalled.

The “dutiful son” constantly sent text messages from Mindanao, said Camelon, who was also assigned to Sulu before retiring from the service in 2001.

He said Charlie had always wanted to be a Scout Ranger: “He wanted to follow in my footsteps. During our conversations, he asked me to do something so he could be a Ranger. But I always told him to follow what the higher command wanted him to do.”

Gathering of mistahs

News of Charlie’s death quickly spread among members of the 286-strong Maragtas Class, who are deployed in military units nationwide.

When his body was flown from Mindanao on Sunday, more than 50 mistahs (classmates) were waiting at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

“Just the sound of the C-130 arriving made his mother weak ... Imagine how painful it is to lose a child,” said a mistah who asked not to be named.

Eight mistahs carried Camelon’s casket out of the cargo plane.

The rest pitched in with whatever amount they could spare to get the soldier a new uniform for the last rites before he was brought back to his hometown.

“You did not have to say a word. They just gave me whatever they could give,” said 2nd Lt. Jonelle Beltran, also 22, who is detailed with the Air Force.

The class donations amounted to more than P11,000.

From such disparate points as Zamboanga City, Manila and Quezon province, Charlie’s mistahs helped arrange his final trip home on Monday afternoon.

“We helped coordinate everything. There were classmates who arrived for the welcome and there are others with the family in Quezon. I realized how strong the brotherhood was in the class,” Beltran said.

Deep in his anguish, Camelon said of the son gone too soon: “He chose that profession ... Maybe he was inspired because of me ... I do not blame anyone. That’s really how it is.”

Charlie was the Maragtas Class’ brigade adjutant.

Five other members of the class are assigned in Sulu: 2nd Lieutenants Alvin Bonayao, Mark Noel Nuestro, Francis Damian, Manuel Mallare Jr. and Ericson Salcedo.

Bonayao and Nuestro were Charlie’s bunkmates in the 33rd IB; Damian, Mallare and Salcedo are assigned to the 35th IB.

Charlie died in a three-hour firefight with the Abu Sayyaf, said Bonayao, 22, of Ifugao province.

“We served as their reinforcements. He died in an encounter with the Abu Sayyaf, not in an ambush, as earlier reported,” Bonayao told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.

“He was my buddy and company mate for three years,” said 2nd Lt. Mark Brandon Casaclang, who is assigned to Davao del Norte. “In land navigation exercises, night navigation, at the PMA and at Fort Magsaysay, we were always together.”

Casaclang said Hotdog was “very serious in his job, always focused on what he was doing.”

Another classmate, 2nd Lt. Angel Cinco, who is also assigned to Davao del Norte, said Charlie was “very kind to all his mistahs” and displayed “good leadership.”

Beltran said it was “really sad that we have a casualty this early, although we know that it’s part of being a soldier.”

Awestruck by duty

Indeed, Camelon knew by heart what military service entailed. Writing in www.friendster.com, he said:

“I stand a proud guardian of my country and the people. I am awestruck and dumbfounded by the magnanimous duty that the people have bestowed upon me, the duty that binds me to be the protector of the free, the duty that drives me to endure days without food, traverse the inhospitable terrain, through typhoons and searing rays of the sun.

“... The duty that dislocates my normal life, separates me from my family, [that makes me] live with humble means and simple ways and be the epitome of the ideals of katapangan, integridad at katapatan (bravery, integrity and honesty).”

Dying young

In 2003, 2nd Lt. Beethoven Landingin (PMA Class of 1999) was killed in a clash with the Abu Sayyaf in Patikul town, Sulu. He was three days shy of his 26th birthday.

Another Class of ’99 member, 1st Lt. Ronnie Bungaos, was ambushed by communist New People’s Army rebels on March 8, 2003, in Bohol province.

In 2002, 1st Lt. Jessie James Apura (Class of ’97), died in a gun battle with the Abu Sayyaf, also in Patikul. He was 26.

He was a veteran of operations against the Abu Sayyaf, including efforts to recover hostaged victims, and received two Gold Cross awards for gallantry.

On Sept. 13, 2001, 1st Lt. Gerbert Lapada (Class of ’99) died in an ambush by Moro rebels in Barira town, Maguindanao province. He was 25.

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