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[av_heading heading=’Gov’t hails ambushed policemen as heroes ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Wednesday, November 29, 2017
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ILOILO City – Policemen that the New People’s Army (NPA) ambushed in Maasin, Iloilo last week were heroes, according to Undersecretary Eduardo Año of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The one who was killed in action, Police Office 1 Joefel Odon, was awarded a Philippine National Police Heroism Medal and Distinguished Conduct Medal yesterday. Año gave these to Odon’s mother Evelyn in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
Odon also got a posthumous promotion to the rank of Police Officer 2 and his family received P593,000 financial assistance, plus another undisclosed amount from President Rodrigo Duterte’s personal funds.
On the other hand, the 12 wounded policemen – five of whom were still confined at the Iloilo Mission Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo – each received a Philippine National Police Wounded Personnel Medal, cash assistance, new .45 pistols, and mobile phones.
“These policemen risked their lives. They are brave,” said Año.
The cash assistance was from the Office of the President and Police Public Safety Mutual Benefit Association, Inc.
“This is only an initial cash assistance. May darating pa ‘yan para sa pamilya ng ating pulis,” said Año.
On the other hand, Police Regional Office 6 director Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag said the police organization will shoulder the medical bills of the cops and Odon’s burial.
Odon and the 12 wounded were part of the 43 policemen of the Police Regional Office 6’s (PRO-6) Regional Mobile Force Battalion that rebels sprayed with bullets after setting off a command-detonated explosive in Barangay Bolo, Maasin on Nov. 24 around 6 p.m.
The 30 policemen who survived the ambush unscathed will also be honored at some later date, according to Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesperson.
The insurgency campaign, meanwhile, will continue, said Binag. Police stations in towns deemed rebel-infested were deployed with additional troops in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Also yesterday, three policemen wounded in an NPA ambush in Sibalom, Antique received financial assistance from Año.
The ambush in Sibalom happened on Nov. 22 – the day the government announced the cancellation of the peace talks with the communist insurgents./PN
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