Slain soldier not picked for Marawi deployment, but chose to go

When troops drew lots to see who would be fighting the terrorists in Marawi City, Marine Private First Class Eddie Cardona Jr.'s name was not picked.

But he asked his commanding officer if he could join his comrades anyway.

Last Friday, Cardona was one of 13 Marines who were killed during a 16-hour firefight against the Maute group in Barangay Lilod Madaya.

In a report on "24 Oras" on Tuesday, GMA Dagupan's Jasmin Gabriel spoke to Cardona's grandmother Eunesa Castrense in Barangay Goyoden on the island of Santiago in Pangasinan.

In deep grief following Eddie's death, Castrense recalled that while her grandchild was in Marawi City, he would keep in touch with his loved ones, regularly sending them photos to ease their fears.

"Talagang doon na lang ang buhay. Ang dasal ko sa Panginoon, na sana ano siya..." Castrense began, but was unable to finish her thought. "Wala akong isip," she said sadly.

She recalled that though she was against her grandchild's decision to join the military, Eddie had dreamed of becoming a soldier since childhood.

A previous report noted that Eddie used to operate a pedicab—but he wanted to help his family rise from poverty, so he became a Marine.

Cardona was one of the soldiers who recovered P79 million in cash and checks in from a Maute stronghold. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News