He left to serve, but never came home: Igorot soldier, 30, shot dead in ambush alongside 2 comrades

Paracelis family grieves as Cpl. Aldrin Wanson is killed while on his way to military training

PARACELIS, Mountain Province — A family in Bunot, Paracelis, is mourning the loss of a son who left home to serve his country after 30-year-old Cpl. Aldrin A. Wanson of the Philippine Army was killed in an ambush in Indanan, Sulu on August 12, 2026.

Wanson was among three soldiers who came under fire while traveling to a military training facility, turning what was supposed to be an ordinary trip to a Physical Fitness Test into a fatal attack.

According to reports from national media outlets, Wanson was killed while his fellow soldiers, Cpl. Philip P. Wiga, 31, and Cpl. Benjie C. Jacinto, 33, were wounded after armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on them along the highway at Kilometer 4, Sitio Kasambuhan, Barangay Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu, at around 8:20 a.m.

All three soldiers are members of the 41st Infantry Battalion under the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Division.

The soldiers were reportedly traveling on a motorcycle toward the 11th Division Training School (11DTS) at Camp Bud Datu in Tagbak, Indanan, where they were scheduled to undergo a Physical Fitness Test.

Reports said the three were followed by two men aboard another motorcycle, who allegedly opened fire using a .45-caliber pistol before fleeing the area.

Wanson sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head and was declared dead at the scene.

Wiga and Jacinto were brought to the Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital for medical treatment.

Investigators recovered spent shell casings at the scene. However, the identities of the attackers and their motive remained undetermined during the initial investigation.

Army condemns attack

The 11th Infantry “Alakdan” Division strongly condemned the attack and said security and investigative operations were immediately launched in coordination with the appropriate authorities.

The division said efforts were underway to identify and locate those responsible for the shooting and determine the motive behind the attack.

It also appealed to the public to remain calm, refrain from speculation, and provide authorities with any information that could assist in the investigation.

As of writing, authorities have yet to establish whether the attack was targeted or identify the gunmen. Pursuit and investigative operations remain ongoing.

The Igorot soldier

Beyond the uniform and military service, Wanson’s death carries a deeply personal weight for two Cordillera communities.

Wanson was an Igorot soldier from Bunot, Paracelis, Mountain Province. He was the son of Marites Assud-Wanson of Bunot, Paracelis, and Almazan Wanson, a native of Tanudan, Kalinga.

His roots connect him to both Mountain Province and Kalinga, making his death a loss felt not only by his immediate family but also by relatives and communities in both areas.

For his family, Wanson was a son. For his fellow soldiers, he was a comrade. For the communities he came from, he was an Igorot who carried his heritage while serving in one of the country’s conflict-affected areas.

On August 12, his journey to fulfill his military duty ended in violence.

Now, Bunot, Paracelis, mourns the son who left home to serve his country, while relatives in Tanudan, Kalinga, grieve alongside the family for a life cut short far from the Cordillera.

Cpl. Wanson’s death serves as another painful reminder of the risks faced by Filipino soldiers who continue to serve in areas where peace remains elusive.