President Duterte visit cop’s wake, wounded comrade in Eastern Visaya

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 29 (PNA) -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte visited on Monday the wake of a police officer in Catbalogan City, Samar and a wounded comrade confined in a private hospital in this city.

The President arrived in Samar’s capital city around 12:00 noon and proceeded to St Funeral Homes in Muñoz village in Catbalogan where PO1 Gary Cabaguing’s body lies in state.

Duterte awarded the Philippine National Police Medal of Valor (posthumous) to the slain police officer. Cabaguing’s wife received the award.

The junior police officer was shot dead while attempting to serve a search warrant to Ernesto Gonzales, 49, for involvement in illegal drugs trade and illegal possession of firearms on Aug. 24.

He was approaching the suspect’s house in Logero village in Marabut, Samar when the suspect, who was hiding in a foxhole under the house, opened fire, hitting Cabaguing in the forehead. The alleged drug trader managed to escape.

Wounded during the operation was PO1 Nestor Villanueva who is now recuperating at the Divine Word Hospital in Tacloban City.

President Duterte talked to Cabaguing’s family for about 20 minutes before formally addressing the slain cop’s relatives, local officials, and residents outside the funeral homes. The Chief Executive also answered questions from the media.

“We are losing two police or military every day. I wonder why no human rights advocate is counting their number, yet they are counting the number of slain criminals,” he said.

At 2:00 p.m., the President arrived at the Divine Word Hospital in this city to visit Villanueva’s hospital room. He talked to the wounded cop and his family for half an hour before addressing the media for 10 minutes.

“I would like to assure law enforcers that if they get into trouble, they have my 101 percent support in the fulfilment of their security duties,” he said.

The Chief Executive assured that despite criticisms, he will continue the anti-drug war and “not allow the Philippine society to deteriorate” under his watch. (PNA)
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