MANILA, Philippines — National Center for Mental Health chief Roland Cortez was shot dead with his driver, Ernesto Ponce dela Cruz, on Monday in Tandang Sora, Quezon City by two unidentified men.
He was 61 years old.
According to a report by the Quezon City Police District, a witness recounted that at about 7:00 a.m. along Cassanova Drive corner Tandang Sora Avenue in Brgy. Culiat, two men got off a motorcycle and walked to the right side of Cortez's vehicle.
They knocked on his right window, the witness said, at which point Cortez opened the door of his car.
The two men fired at Cortez and his driver multiple times then. They were dead on the spot.
"Cursory examination showed that both of the victims sustained multiple gunshot sounds on the different parts of their bodies. Case held under investigation and follow up," QCPD told reporters.
The state-run National Center for Mental Health is the premier mental health institution in the Philippines.
Cortez figured in a verbal spat with NCMH chief administrative officer Clarita Avila in recent months. She was reassigned to the Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Las Piñas because of what Cortez said was her lackluster performance of her duties and her unfair treatment of her colleagues.
The health department, in a statement issued Monday, expressed its shock and alarm over the incident and said it was coordinating with authorities to pursue justice for the mental health chief.
"Dr. Cortez was a respected leader who sought to treat citizens with utmost dignity...the DOH denounces all violent acts committed against health workers, especially in these trying times," the department's statement read.
This is a developing story and will be updated.