Hilario Sibala

Hilario Sibala passed on April 2, 2014 at the age of 97. Born November 3, 1916 in the Philippines, he was preceded in death by his daughter Lillian. He is survived by his beloved wife Liya Flores Sibala; son Larry and wife Phylis; granddaughter Tisa; great-granddaughter Kasie; grandson James and his wife Jacquelyn; great-grandson Christopher and his wife Tiffany; great-grandsons Zachary, Galvin, and Anthony; great-granddaughters Brittany, Alexandria, Chelsea and Haylee; and great-grandchildren Jenika, Rylan, Jason, Lainey. Hilario started his Army career in 1937 when he was drafted by the Philippine Commonwealth Army. Released after six months, he enlisted with the Philippine Scouts in Corregidor. As a Prisoner of War (POW) in WWII, he was beaten and tortured, but managed to escape after 23 months. He then joined and stayed with the Guerilla Unit until Liberation. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant (Lt) in 1946 and later retired as a Captain in 1959. Ex-Philippine Scout Hilario Sibala was honored with Bronze Star Medal to World War II (See Monitor pg. 39, October 30, 1986 for the presentation.) Hilario dedicated a portrait drawing of Lt. General Stanley R. Mickelsen at the opening of the Mickelsen Community Library on Fort Bliss. This portrait can be seen at Ft. Bliss, bldg. 2 (see Monitor dated September 4, 1997.) Hilario also made an attempt to allow retired disabled and former POW’s plus those individuals over 65 years of age to keep their health care benefits at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. He petitioned to Brigadier General Nancy R. Adams, Texas Representative Silvestre Reyes, and Texas Senators Philip Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchinson, as well as to the President of the United states Bill Clinton; unfortunately, his petition was denied by the president (see monitor dated March 8, 2001) Visitation will be held at 5:00-9:00pm with a Rosary at 7:00pm on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at Sunset Funeral Home Northeast, 4631 Hondo Pass. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 9025 Diana Drive. Interment will follow at Fort Bliss National Cemetery with Full Military Honors. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home Northeast. Please visit on-line register book at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net