By: Romel G. Palis, PMA '85
A very unfortunate accident happened to me on January 4, 1989 in Camp Nakar, Quezon Province. Friends tell me that it was a situation where I got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. I was then with the Region 4 Special Action Force (RSAF) and about a third of the Battalion were inside camp, one-third deployed for an ongoing operation and the remaining personnel still coming in from the holiday vacation. Our battalion commander decided to divide and rotate the personnel so everybody can have the chance to enjoy either a Christmas or a New Year vacation, yet maintain a good reserve force to support an on-going military operation.
The unit officers where rotated in the same manner and on that day it was my turn to be in camp. For RSAF personnel inside camp, the battalion has some physical fitness activities in the afternoon that starts off by having a formation and accounting of men. We always have it in the open basketball court fronting the battalion headquarters and it's where most formations were held. It's a cemented area on one end of a big parade ground.
Not far on the opposite end of the grounds (across the basketball court) is where the Air Force helicopters were on stand-by too for operational support. Surrounding the parade ground area were the RSAF 4 HQs and barracks, other Regional Command 4 (RECOM) HQs and office buildings, Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) HQs, officers' quarters and somewhere to the back were mostly houses were families of our soldiers lived. There were some big trees along one side of the grounds near the barracks area.
I came to the playing court in athletic attire early that fateful afternoon and joined some soldiers lazily warming up while waiting for the others to arrive. Some were playing basketball and others were doing some stretching exercises. At that time the company jeep pulled in near the battalion headquarters and later the battalion first sergeant stepped down. He started walking towards the court. When I saw him I felt there was something he needed to tell me so I also started walking towards him. We met by the court side. He was just starting to tell me something when I heard some commotion from behind. When I turned my head I saw one of our men in full battle gear hurriedly going toward our direction with his M16 rifle pointed at us. I figured he came from the barracks and as others changed to athletic uniform he decided instead to change to full combat gear.
At home on Christmas vacation just a few days before my unfortunate incident on January 4, 1989 at Camp Nakar. During my assignment with Region 12 Special Action Force in Lanao del Sur in 1987. In the background are MILF surrenderees. Taken prior to a field operation in Lanao del Sur. I'm the one standing in the middle with a black jacket. In Lanao del Sur during a brief stop-over enroute to Parang, Maguindanao for an operation that took 6 months. Other soldiers inside the barracks did not find anything wrong since it was also a time for a few soldiers to change to fatigue uniform in preparation for taking their post as guards. He was evidently disturbed and was shouting some words to the first sergeant (P_!@$#$ mo! Sip-sip ka sa opisyal!) and some cursing words to that effect. I was stunned but the best I could do then was to keep calm and try to remedy the situation.
I slowly told the soldier to take it easy and not to point his firearm at us but it did not do any good. He was just a few feet away from us and at that point and I can see that he was very angry and appeared to be somewhat confused. He continued shouting and threatened to pull the trigger at anyone who dared to make a wrong move. I surreptitiously glanced at his M16 and saw the safety switch was pointing to 'auto' (His M16 was also equipped with a grenade launcher).
He continued shouting and I found it quite difficult to understand him. I just couldn't seem to make any sense out of what he was uttering. He told the first sergeant to lay down his sidearm (a shiny Cal 45 pistol) for which he carefully complied. Even the other men playing basketball behind us were stunned. One of them was the soldier's best friend who was also asking him to calm down. He said words of assurances to his angry friend and while doing so, slowly made a few steps towards the soldier when all of a sudden he was fired upon.
There was a very short pause then the automatic firing continued. I remember everybody was running for the trees as it was the closest solid cover. I guess I was in the process of making a move when I was hit. I was hit in the left side of my body from the burst of automatic firing. Everything just happened so fast. Initially, I thought it was just one of my soldiers, who out of panic, kicked me at the back as he was trying to run.
I immediately fell down on the ground. Half my body was still in the cemented area and my head fell on the grassy part. I tried to get up but couldn't just do it. I saw two other bodies lying beside me ... the first sergeant who was already motionless and the soldier's best friend who was moaning for help. Both were hit in the chest area. That moment appeared to be a very difficult ordeal for me because I could not do anything to get out of that situation and things were getting worst as time slowly went by.
The soldiers who were heading for the barracks to get their rifles were caught behind the trees. I then realized that I've been badly hurt and time was running out on me. There were so many things going on in my mind but I could not do anything. Blood was oozing out of my body and pain was starting to take its toll on me. The soldier, who apparently had run amuck, was still walking back and forth close to where we we lay wounded. He was still firing his rifle in every direction and was only interrupted by quick magazine changes and when he started firing rounds from his grenade launcher. I felt that if I moved too much (like apply pressure to my wound or attempt to crawl), it'll just get his attention and he might just finished me off for good. I was also thinking of reaching for the Cal 45 pistol but I could not move even for an inch.
I turned my head to the other side and saw the helicopter crews and pilots hurriedly rolling the drums of fuel out of danger. Just one grenade hit on one of the fuel containers would ignite all the other drums and eventually the choppers. I saw some soldiers seeking cover behind some trees wanting to help us. They were helpless too and the best they could do was run during each ammo reload. I saw another soldier behind one of the trees who was able to make a run for the Cal 45 near the first sergeant's body. I saw that man discharged some rounds but eventually he took cover. I heared the moaning sound beside me fading and everything around me seemed to be turning into a slow spin.
In between all of these were sounds of automatic gunfire and grenades exploding around me, voices from afar of women and children shouting in fear. All I could do was pray and did I pray real hard. After a while, I heard the sound of heavy machinery rolling in. A tank from the SOLCOM Headquarters came to our rescue by getting into the parade ground and was positioned to cover us.
The soldiers behind the trees took the chance to get us out of the danger zone. They just moved as swiftly as they could and grabbed whatever they could take hold of and pulled us out to a waiting mini cruiser jeep. When the soldier who run amuck felt that he was now over-powered, he retreated to the homes of soldiers and hid in one of the houses. I was told that there were children whom he took hostage later.
I was given first aid treatment at the Quezon Provincial Hospital but had to be rushed to Manila for immediate operation. The two others soldiers who were hit by the initial gunfire were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital emergency room. I was immediately airlifted to AFP Medical Center at Quezon City. I can only remember hearing the activities going on around me. My sights were fading fast as time went by and when we were airborne everything seemed to have turned dark and hazy. I remember feeling very, very cold at one point and I did not remember anything after the chopper landed.
The following day I woke up at the hospital ICU and learned that I was hit once on my left lumbar area with no exit wound. My left kidney was severed and had to be taken out. The doctors also had to remove one-third of my right kidney since it was partly damaged. I just thank the Lord that the remaining kidney still functions to serve my body well. I suffered permanent injuries to my spine at the lumbar area (L1) from a direct bullet hit. Since then I'm permanently in a wheelchair and I guess I have adjusted well to it (complete paraplegia).
It was not an easy road to recovery and until now I still suffer some severe back pains, which is normally associated to spinal cord injuries. Even the simplest thing of turning in bed from one side to another has to be re-learned. I permanently lost the use of my lower extremities but through rehab, I developed the strength of my upper body. I now use a manual wheelchair for mobility and it'll be a part of me for the rest of my life. I am very grateful to a lot of people and of course to our good Lord for giving me this second chance in life.
There's no easy answer to all of these. The soldier snapped and I do not know why. I later learned that the soldier would not give in to negotiations, which dragged until late at night. Those in-charged were left with no other option but have snipers shoot him down (he held some civilian hostage when cornered). I also found out that the first sergeant's Cal. 45 pistol was reported missing after the incident. It only surfaced after I told them that I saw the person who picked it up.
My girlfriend (see photo on the left) then stood by my side through thick and thin especially throughout my confinement at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City. She's a nurse and her name is Mayvelyn "May" Rocamora of Tiaong, Quezon. I met her during my assignment at Camp Nakar (Quezon Province) and we've been dating for a few months before my very unfortunate accident.
If there's a hero or a fighter in this story then it must be her. Having been forced to live an entirely new way of life after that unfortunate incident was not easy. But she has an unending supply of support, comfort, joy and love which made it easy for me. She is the "wind beneath my wings." She is now my wife (we were married four years after my accident). She currently works at the Beth Israel Medical Center of New York City.
Click on the small banner at the left to see more pictures of Romel G. Palis. Included are some photographs taken during his cadet days at the Philippine Military Academy where he graduated with the Class of 1985. The miscellaneous other photographs were during his early days in America while he was still undergoing therapy and treatment and preparing to live his new life.
