Duterte gives cash aid to kin of cops slain, injured in Guihulngan ambush

GUIHULNGAN CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday evening arrived in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental to visit the wake of the four of six policemen who were killed in an ambush by the New People’s Army at Barangay Magsaysay last July 21.

Duterte arrived in Guihulngan at past 6 p.m., where he was met by Mayor Gido Reyes and other city officials. He went direct to the wake of the four slain policemen: SPO2 Nacasio Pasculado Tabilon, PO3 Teovic Gador Agosto, PO2 Alvin Paul Alquizola Bulandres, and PO2 Alfredo Lastimoso Dunque,

The remains of the two other killed policemen — Supt. Arnel Arpon and SPO1 Jesael Anchita — were laid at their respective hometowns in Negros Oriental but their respective families met with Duterte at the Guihulngan City Hall.

Duterte turned over P500,000 financial assistance to each of the families of the six Guihulngan policemen, as well as the Medalya ng Kadakilaan, cellphones, P250,000 check, P20,000 cash, and P250,000 more as educational funds for the children.

The president also promised to help the bereaved families, saying that he tapped the Department of Trade and Industry to grant them livelihood projects.

Duterte and his group left Guihulngan at past 7 p.m. and proceeded to the Silliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete City, where the three policemen—SPO4 Jerome Delara, PO3 Jordan Balderas, and PO2 Jorie Maribao—are confined after being wounded in the same ambush.

Attending physician, Dr. Carlito Go, told Duterte the policemen are already in stable condition, after sustaining gunshot wounds in the nape and in the legs.

The president did not ask for the medical bulletins of the wounded policemen but instead pinned medals on the three to honor their bravery. They were also given financial assistance, the amount of which was not disclosed to the media.

After the brief visit, Duterte left for Davao City. Security was tight around the city and neighboring towns in Negros Oriental.

People who still wanted to see the president up close stayed outside the hospital where they waited for more than four hours. —with Annie Fe Perez of ABS-CBN News and PNA reports