A soldier's father shares the story of a hero

On Independence Day, GMA News' Mariz Umali recalls on "24 Oras" the sacrifice of a young soldier who defended the city of Marawi from the ISIS-inspired Maute group.

As Private First Class Dhan Ryan Bayot and his team were surrounded by Maute group members, he disclosed his position so the Philippine Army can bomb the area even if it meant that he could die too.

Bayot stood his ground, fighting his nation's enemy, as he waited for reinforcement.

The reinforcement that he hoped for, however, never came.

PFC Bayot was killed on the third day of the Marawi siege.

This heroic act of Bayot, was related to GMA News by his father, Sgt. Larry Bayot.

The elder Bayot said the reinforcements requested by his son never came as the 24 soldiers in his unit were overwhelmed by the enemy's firepower.

"Tawag na 'ko kahit saan ng mga kwan niya, ng mga tropa niya na sundalo wala talagang reinforcement. Sabi niya ‘sir tulungan mo kami sir, maraming kalaban. Namatay na silang mga kasama ko’," the elder Bayot said.

Bayot recalled his son was forced to give their coordinates and request for a military strike that never came.

"Sabi niya 'fire in [my] location sir. Ito na lang coordinate ko sir.' Binigay niya ang coordinate niya, pa-cannon niya o ano ba, pero wala man cannon," Bayot said.

The situation forced his son to stand up and sacrifice his life in fighting the terrorists, according to Bayot.

"Tumayo na siya sa kalaban. Bahala na yung anak ko, mamatay na siya basta mamatay din ang kalaban. 'Di lang siya mag-isa, marami ang mamamatay," he said.

A total of 58 military and police personnel have been killed since the skirmishes against government forces and the Maute group in Marawi City broke out last May 23.

Bayot has accepted the fate of his son, a soldier who stood his ground until his last breath. "Tanggap ko na rin ang pagkamatay niya kasi proud man ako."

Ian Patrick Bayot said he will draw inspiration from his brother's service to the country.

"Hero talaga ang Kuya ko. 'Di yan natatakot kahit anong laban. Binuwis niya talaga ang buhay niya para sa bayan. Sobrang nakaka-inspire ang buhay," Ian said.

He also urged President Rodrigo Duterte to help him become a soldier and enter the Philippine Military Academy.

"Gusto ko tulungan mo ako maging sundalo rin ako. Kahit wala na yung Kuya ko, gusto ko ipaglaban ang bayan," the younger Bayot said. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/BAP, GMA News