Divine Word Hospital, Tacloban City, Leyte
August 29, 2016
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte visited Police Officer 1 Nestor Villanueva Jr. at the Divine Word Hospital in Tacloban City, Leyte shortly after his wake visit to PO1 Gary Cabaguing in Catbalogan, Samar.
PO1 Villanueva, 25, sustained a gunshot wound in the chest while fellow Philippine National Police (PNP) Samar Provincial Public Safety Company personnel PO1 Cabaguing was killed during their mission to serve a search warrant against Ernesto Gonzales on August 24, 2016 at Barangay Logero in the municipality of Marabut, Western Samar. Gonzales is a known notorious gun-for-hire and drug personality operating in Basey and Marabut, Samar and has a search warrant for violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunitions Regulations Act) but he was able to elude arrest for the second time.
According to President Duterte in a press statement, the government loses at least two policemen everyday in the drug war and he came to visit to show his 101% personal support while they continue to fight in eliminating crime.
PO1 Villanueva’s attending physicians, Dr. Alden Caalim and Dr. Leocadio Carpio, accompanied the President during his talk with Villanueva and family members. He was also given financial and social services assistance.
Tacloban City Mayor Cristina “Kring Kring” Romualdez, Divine Word Hospital (DVH) Administrator Sr. Eliza N. Arpon, DVH Medical Director Dr. Gil A. Asoy and P/SSupt. Allan T. Cuevillas, PNP-PRO VIII Deputy Regional Director for Operations, were also present during the hospital visit.
* * *