The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday mourned the passing of Airman First Class (A1C) Mervin Guarte, a soldier-athlete who was killed in a stabbing incident in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.
According to initial reports from the Calapan City Police Station (CPS), A1C Guarte was attacked while spending his post-holiday break in the said city.
A proud resident of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, A1C Guarte joined the Air Force through Direct Enlistment in 2015.
“His discipline, dedication, and commitment to excellence made him an exemplary serviceman and an accomplished athlete, bringing honor and pride to the country and the PAF in numerous international and national competitions.” PAF Spokesperson Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo said.
Among the awards received by Guarte were:
- Champion, Spartan Race Beast 21KM – Spartan Asia Pacific Championship (2024)
- Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Champion – Holder of a new SEA Games record and current world record (2023)
- Champion, Spartan Trail Championship – 12KM
- Champion, Spartan Race 2022 – 10KM with 30 obstacles
- Champion, OCR World Championship – 12KM
- Gold Medalist, 2018 Taiwan Open – 1500M
- Champion, Spartan Race Series – 5KM with 20 obstacles
The Air Force condoled with Guarte’s family and assured its full support and assistance as they cope with this untimely loss. PAF is also fully cooperating with the Calapan City Police in their ongoing investigation into this unfortunate incident.
