MEDAL FOR VALOR AWARDEES

MAJOR GENERAL MARIANO N CASTANEDA 0-1032 AFP

Manila- 10 March 1947

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the face of imminent danger at the risk of his own life to protect His Excellency, Manuel A Roxas, the first President of the Republic of the Philippines.

On the eve of the Parity Plebiscite on 10 March 1947, after the late President Roxas had delivered his forceful speech for its approval to about 25,000 people assembled in Plaza Miranda, Quiapo and to the nation over the National Radio Network, an attempt to assassinate him was made by means of a hand grenade thrown at the President. The deadly missile landed on the speaker’s platform and rolled towards the center of then President Roxas and other ranking government officials. In spite of the inevitable explosion and its lethal results, GENERAL CASTANEDA , then Chief of the Constabulary, in complete disregard of his personal safety, rushed from his seat behind the President’s chair to the lethal weapon which was about to explode, and with extraordinary coolness and presence of mind ordered the people to lie down and then kicked the death-dealing grenade down the steps of the platform where it exploded.

His presence of mind and display of exemplary courage and bravery in the timely disposal of the lethal grenade saved the life of the President of the Republic of the Philippines and those of his family and other higher ranking officials of the Republic, who, at that moment, were all with him on the platform.