THE Department of Health (DOH) condemned Wednesday the killing of eye specialist Dr. Sajid Sinolinding and his security escort, Mohamid Esmael, in Cotabato City last Tuesday, April 18.
"The DOH condemns this act of violence as it lost anew a dedicated healthcare worker at a time when there is a dire need for their service and we are deeply saddened by this event," Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said in a statement.
Sinolinding was the younger brother of the DOH-Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (Armm) Secretary Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr.
Ubial said the DOH is extending its condolences to Sinolinding's family.
"The DOH vows to support efforts in the pursuit of justice in his senseless killing," said Ubial.
On Tuesday morning, Sinolinding and Esmael were shot dead by a lone gunman, who pretended to be a patient, inside the former's clinic located at the Cotabato Doctors Clinic.
Sinolinding's murder comes more than a month after the killing of Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas in Lanao del Norte.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) also expressed condemnation of the murder of another medical professional.
PMA President Irineo Bernardo III said that what was done to Sinolinding is "simply unacceptable".
"We condemn in strongest terms the murder of Dr Sinolinding, the second doctor murdered in two months," said Bernardo.
"Non-combatant professionals/civilians should be spared from acts that will keep them from serving our people particularly those in far flung areas of the country," Bernardo added. (HDT/VoxPop Philippines)
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