Lt. Col. Rolando Conrad Peña III and Maj. Melkie Tadeo were honored with the prestigious medal in recognition of their gallantry in action and heroism in the face of grave danger against local and foreign terrorists.
PAF commanding general, Lieutenant Gen. Edgar Fallorina, also commended the two PAF pilots.
Peña, from the General Staff Core of the Air Defense Wing, was conferred the Gold Cross Medal for serving as pilot- in-command of the FA-50 jet fighter, conducting a series of bomb runs which led to the destruction of local and foreign terrorist groups in Butig, Lanao del Sur from January 23 to 26.
He also conducted day and night air operations in Marawi City from May 23 to 27, causing casualties among enemy ranks which paved the way for the safe evacuation of civilians and saved lives of troops on the ground despite unfavorable weather condition alongside enemy fire in the area.
Tadeo, from the 15th Strike Wing, was given the same medal for serving as the pilot of AgustaWestland-109 attack helicopter during the conduct of day and night battle air interdiction, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance and close-air support that destroyed the local and foreign terrorist groups in the vicinity of Sitio Pagalongan, Barangay Gacap, Pigapo, Lanao del Sur from April 22 to 23 through accurate delivery of air strikes.
It was learned that the said mission immensely contributed in the neutralization of the enemies’ strongholds and the elimination of the Maute leader Imam Bantayao and more or less 40 terrorists.
Both awardees are graduates of the Philippine Military Academy. Peña is a member of the Class 1997 while Tadeo is a member of Class 2002.
