GEN. TINIO, Nueva Ecija — Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde on Thursday conferred a posthumous award to a young police officer, who was killed by a suspected drug pusher in a buy bust operation in Barangay Pias here last Monday.
Together with Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus, Central Luzon police director and Senior Superintendent Eliseo Tanding, Nueva Ecija police director, Albayalde placed a medal of heroism on the coffin of Police Officer 1 Mariano Emmanuel Caparas at his wake in their residence in Sitio Libis, Barangay Bago here at about 4:30 p.m.
Caparas was killed by a suspected drug pusher identified as Albert Gutierrez in a buy bust operation. He succumbed to a bullet wound in chest.
The drug suspect was likewise shot dead by the back up policemen.
Albayalde said Caparas is the 45th policeman to be killed by suspects since the government waged an all-out war against illegal drugs.
“More than a thousand others were wounded in similar operations,” he said.
The PNP chief also extended financial support to the slain policeman’s widow, 27-year-old Lyka Camil, who is six months pregnant with their first baby.
He lamented that some people only see negative things in the anti-drug war despite the sacrifices of policemen.
To make sure all the benefits due the Caparas family will be received, Albayalde assigned Senior Inspector Gemma Lomboy of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO) as survivor officer.
A survivor officer, according to him, will process the documentary requirements all the way to the release of benefits.
“To avoid what is sometimes being called as bribery,” he added. (Marilyn Galang/PNA)
