ILOILO CITY — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director-General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, on Wednesday evening visited the policemen ambushed by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in separate incidents in Antique and Iloilo provinces to distribute medals and financial assistance.
Dela Rosa first visited the wake of Police Officer 1 Joeffel Odon in Cabatuan, Iloilo. Odon was killed in the November 24 ambush in Maasin.
He extended his condolences to the slain cop’s mother Evelyn Odon and handed PHP174,000 from the PNP and additional PHP100,000 from his personal pocket.
Dela Rosa also paid tribute to Iloilo’s wounded cops and the men and women of the Police Regional Police Office 6 (PRO 6).
Dela Rosa joined the concert-for-a-cause dubbed as “God Bless our PRO 6 Cops” spearheaded by the PRO 6 Regional Advisory Council for Police Transformation and Development, Bless our PRO 6 Cop Movement and the PNP regional headquarters held Wednesday evening the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC).
Funds raised in the concert, which featured local singers and the PRO 6 Mandirigmang Mang-aawit, will go to the “Peso sa PNCO” program, wounded and killed in action policemen and legal support fund.
At the concert venue, dela Rosa awarded nine of the 15 wounded cops in two separate ambush staged by the rebels in Sibalom, Antique and Maasin, Iloilo with the “Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting (PNP Wounded Personnel Medal) and PHP50,000 each.
In his message, he urged the wounded cops to continue their fight against the NPA. “Let us not fear to die,” he said.
He sang two English songs titled “Have I told you” and “All of Me” to the delight of the audience watching the concert.
He capped his engagement in Iloilo by visiting six other wounded personnel who are still recuperating in two private hospitals in this city after the concert. Each wounded personnel was also awarded the PNP Wounded Personnel Medal and PHP50,000 each.
On Tuesday, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Eduardo Año also paid visit to the wounded cops and at the wake of Odon, representing President Rodrigo Duterte.
He turned over to Odon’s mother a total of PHP450,000 from the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund Inc. (PSBMFI), Office of the President and personal money of President Duterte.
Wounded soldiers also each received PHP130,000 from the same sources of fund. They all received cellular phones with names of persons in Malacañang whom they could contact anytime.
Each of them is also entitled to one unit of caliber .45 pistol with three magazines as additional gift from Pres. Duterte in recognition of their contribution in the fight against terrorism, illegal drugs, and criminality. (PNA)
