The Special Forces unit, he added, was already positioned to attack and his team, which carried 15 RPG ammunition, was preparing to fire. Before Marawi, Bade was assigned in Basilan sincc 2012 and earned a Gold Cross medal in early 2016. In his eight years in the Scout Rangers, Bade describes the Marawi mission as “pinakakuyaw” (the most dreadful) because “ang mga kalaban handa gyud sila mamatay” (the enemy is really willing to die). Matirang matibay” (They cannot leave anymore … so they are willing to die, to kill, too. For the month of June alone, President Duterte had visited CESH four times to award medals to wounded soldiers.