MGEN CESAR F. TAPIA (Deceased) was the G1 when some of my Army classmates reported to him at his office in HPA. He was our commandant of cadets when we were plebes. He asked us who wish to volunteer to Tabak Division? He wanted those who are “street-smarts” (that’s the exact term he used), not the ones who grew up inside camp comfortably. At that time, he was so proud of class ‘79 especially mentioned: LTs Pangilinan and Abella of 24IB but lamenting on the loss of LTs Pagunsan and Naparan of 4IB, who both died in an encounter and ambuscade, respectively. My classmates Yano and Pasamba, who are both my Charliemates in the Academy, volunteered my name without my knowledge. We were all afraid to go to Jolo! My classmate Noble was moving heaven and earth to be transferred to 4ID but made to report by then Colonel Tapia to 1ID. He was marked AWOL but arriving in Jolo, he volunteered to Forward Reconnaissance Unit (FRU), a unit previously organized by Sir Dick Morales ‘77 but already under Sir Danny Lim ‘78 that was composed purely of Igorot warriors. Noble, who is a Visayan, recovered so many firearms during his 1st encounter and his AWOL case was exonerated by General Luga, the 1st Div Commander, outright after the bloody firefight. We, the 9 Mapitagans (Bolo 33IB, Francisco 4IB, Lomeda 31IB, Mendoza 5IB. Noble FRU, Pasamba 18IB, Segovia 14IB, Sugon 32IB and Yano FRU), all survived our stint in Jolo – unscathed, as described by Sugon; but mostly of us were inflicted by the deadliest form of malaria: falciparum …

Rest in peace General Tapia Sir! My snappiest salute and I hope the Mapitagans made you proud…