COMFORT. The girlfriend of PFC Jaime Inventor is comforted by the fallen soldier’s colleague. Inventor was killed in an encounter with the ISIS-inspired Maute group on September 17, as the troops recapture the Bato Mosque, one of the militant’s strongholds inside the main battle area in Marawi City. (Divina M. Suson)
ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – She was supposed to deliver their firstborn next month. But upon hearing that the father of the life inside her womb was killed in Marawi City, a forced labor had to be done.
Anne*, who was mourning for losing her boyfriend at the time, never expected to face another death. The tiny soul that did not wait for a full 9 months died.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, September 17, Anne could not give the exact reason why her baby died. “The baby just stopped crying all of a sudden, and I could no longer tell what was going on after,” she said as she wept.
The interview was cut. “Let’s do this later, ma’am,” she excused herself and went back to the coffin of her boyfriend. She was writing on a piece of paper her words that she wanted to say to the fallen soldiers.
The baby died on Saturday, September 16, three hours after his father was killed in the main battle area, where soldiers are fighting against ISIS-inspired Maute group.
Corporal Jaime Invento was while fighting against the militants. Four others were wounded. “One of the wounded is in critical condition, he was evacuated to Cagayan de Oro City. I pray he can survive,” said a colleague who requested not to be named.
The main objective of Invento’s team was to get the Bato Mosque and the Amaitul Islamiya Marawi Foundation (AIMF). Bato Mosque is one of the enemy’s three strongholds that fell into government control over the past days as troops continue to press forward in the battle area.
The military said they are moving closer to rooting out the remaining gunmen from their strongholds.
But the young man was shot by the enemies. He sustained gunshot wounds of the enemy’s M203 on his neck and head that cause his instant death.
As she fell asleep beside the white casket, a love letter she wrote was seen lying on it, with the two new t-shirts she bought supposedly as present for Invento when he returns to his hometown Iligan City.
“You have fought a good fight. It pains me more seeing you like this, but I’m letting you go now, have a safe journey, Daddy. Always remember that you will always be my best ‘assaulter’. You know how much I love you and I know how much you love me,” the letter she wrote read.
And then she asked for forgiveness for she “wasn’t there when you needed me most”.
At the back of paper is also her letter for Invento dated June 29, 2017. She addressed the soldier as her “dearest superman” and wrote that she has missed him: “It’s been 36 days, 8 hours, 15 minutes and 36 seconds since you went away. I know you already get tired and weary. Hold on, Mahal, a little bit longer… and I love you so.”
Invento is the 45th Scout Ranger who was killed while fighting against the terrorists in Marawi. (davaotoday.com)
*Not her real name
Killed soldier, Miscarriage
