Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC), Tacloban City, Leyte
June 29, 2018
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte visited the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban City, Leyte to assess the current condition of the nine (9) wounded-in-police-operation (WIPO) members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The nine wounded police officers, namely Police Officer (PO) 1 Romulo Cordero, PO1 Rey Barbosa, PO1 Roden Goden, PO1 Cris Angelo Pialago, PO1 Jaime Galoy, PO1 Joenel Gonzaga, PO1 Elmer Pan, PO1 Romel Bagunas, and PO1 Jan Mark Adonis, are part of the 805th Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 8 who survived a gun battle against the Philippine Army’s (PA) 87th Infantry Battalion members in a misencounter at Barangay San Roque in Sta. Rita, Samar on the morning of June 25, 2018.
Speaking as the Commander-in-Chief of the police and the military, President Duterte expressed his apologies to the wounded police officers and their families, and assured them that the government would do its utmost best to provide for their needs.
“Isa lang tayo… Kayo lang ang aasahan ko… To serve the country, to protect the people,” he said.
The President awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu in ‘Kampilan’ medals to the wounded police officers in recognition of their support to the campaign or advocacy of the administration as stated in Executive Order (EO) No. 35 that amended EO No. 17 (s. 2017) which created the Order of Lapu-Lapu.
The ‘Kampilan’ medal is awarded to government officials and employees, as well as private citizens, who suffered serious injuries or loss of property as a result of direct participation to activities related to the advocacies of the President.
After visiting the WIPO police officers’ ward, President Duterte went to an adjacent ward to meet the wounded-in-action (WIA) soldiers who suffered injures during military operations against rebel groups for the period of May to June 2018.
He also awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu in ‘Kampilan’ medals to Private First Class (PFC) Sonny Calda, Private (PVT) Anthony Palaña, PFC Marvin Rivera, PFC Noriel Guarte, PFC Jeremy Razid, and PFC Reynold Larague.
* * *