THE untimely death of six junior police officers in a misencounter with Army troopers in Sta. Rita, Samar, on June 25 has continued to send shock, grief, and tributes to families and friends of the fallen policemen.
"They were my students. And it pains me a lot to see them lifeless. Last night, I attended their wake at the regional office. I told their families I'm here to share your pain, loss, sacrifice, and anger about this incident," said lawyer Ferdinand Arthur Diaz.
Diaz, who teaches criminal laws and other special penal laws at the police regional training center in Tacloban City, added that "no amount of monetary compensation could ever appease the bereaved families."
"With a clenched fist, I approached their respective coffins. The pain is deep and the loss is tragic," the lawyer said.
Diaz also recalled the good memories they shared with the fallen policemen who came from Class "Kamandag," "Alab Tala" and "Sumiklab."
"I'm very close to them since I was the only instructor whom they could play basketball. After our lectures, they would rush to their barracks to change clothes so we could play," he said.
Killed during the misencounter with elements of the Philippine Army 87th Infantry Battalion were Police Officer (PO) 1 Phil J Rey Mendigo, PO1 Rowel Reyes, PO1 Julie Y. Escalo, PO1 Edwin P. Ebrado, PO1 Wyndell S. Noromor, and PO1 Julius R. Suarez.
"Julius was a good friend of mine way back in college. He's a silent type but it was fun to be with him, especially when we talked about our favorite rap-metal bands," said Precious Vincent Edillo, a registered nurse in Southern Leyte.
"We always spent time together before I was transferred to another school," he added.
According to him, he was still able to keep Julius' P.E. T-shirt, which he borrowed from him in college.
"Although we hung out together for just one semester, my memories with him were all happy," Edillo told VoxPop Philippines.
PO1 Rolly Duarte said that three of the killed police officers were his batch mates in Class 2015.
"We're together during the training. It's painful for me to learn that they died too early," Duarte said.
"We would like to extend our condolences with the grieving families of the police officers who perished in the encounter incident in Sta. Rita. We look forward to the results of the undergoing investigation on the incident and appropriate action be undertaken by the proper authorities," added Jude Acidre, leader of the party-list group Tingog Siniragan in Eastern Visayas.
Bereaved families also took to social media to grieve over the loss of their loved ones.
"Saturday morning mao dayon ini nga im selfies an namukaw saak messenger. Ingon mo pa sa high school pa ko di ta mag bebreak? Ngano kay sobra kabroke akong heart karon.
"Never gud ko nimo gipasakitan emotionally man mao pa physically sa sulod sa 9 years. Pero ngano karon kay imo gitigda tanan? Nagsusugod pa lang ta pagbuo sa ato dream family. Imeet ato mga goals hinay hinay na oh. Naging criminologist ka naging RN ko.
"Naging pulis ka unya nurse na ko.. ni'a na ta swaine.. wa pa ngani ta katunga. Pano pa man mabubuo ato dream house kung wa na haligi?? Never gud ko nimo gibigo sa imo mga promise sa ako. Imo ko gipakasalan sa simbahan bisan di ta na man unta na priority. Kung unconditional love lang gud sus sobra sobra gud imo gipadama sa ako. Biskan pa against all odds ta sa una, giprove gud nimo sa ako family nga deserving kit sa isa't isa.
"I love you I love you I love you 1 million times. Diba gusto nimo ang nag a'i love you ko sa imo permi. Waray na ak selfie king. Katigo gud ko nga di ka handa nga mangyayari ni sa imo. Ingat na lang sa imo bago nga kaharian. Basta ang maiingon ko lang sa imo, MARRYING YOU IS THE BEST DECISION I'VE EVER MADE. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. PAG REST NA," wrote Rachel, the wife of PO1 Reyes.
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"Dko kaya daddy promise. Masakit na duro feel ko mamatay ako. An 5 days nim nga sarit mo haak nga mawawara ka naging FOREVER. Nasanay ako tanan-tanan ha imo pag-sleep ha pag-eat, always kita dungan tanan.
"Dba last nat pagkatalk maglalaba ako tim bado na mga labahan mo, magluluto ako hin marasa kay imo la gin susura ha bukid puros dilata, pero dre ko na mahihimo ito kay waray kana man. Nasanay ako pagluto imo bfast ugsa ka mag duty. Gin-uupod mo ako pagduty bsan dre pwede basta ada laak imo sapit. Tagapagtanggol ko, hanga tanan. Scort ko ha tanan. Dba first GF mo ako ngan last na??
"Kay ano sugad ka man dba strong ka daddy. Maaram ako nga na dre ka natuok ako kay pati ikaw nagtutuok ghap, pero dko talaga kaya it sakit. Dba same tat dugo, Type A, dapat ginhulat mo h mommy daddy. Gabay ako lurongon pira ka beses dre la sugad hini na problema dhie. Pano ako magiging strong. Maaram ka nga weak ako pagdating ha imo. Pwede man mautod it tiil, pwede man ha kamot, dre sugad hini nga mamatay. Kasakit man na duro nga mauli ka hin sugad hito. Kakuri hini nga sitwasyon uy.
"Kay ano ini pa, Dko man ini kaya nga parusa lwat haak. Love ko ikaw daddy sobra. Sorry sorry Phil J Rey Mendigo. Lablab mommy. I salute u daddy," also wrote Mylyn Osman, the girlfriend of PO1 Mendigo.
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Wounded in action were PO1 Romulo Cordero, PO1 Elmer F. Pan, PO1 Chris Angelo A. Pialago, PO1 Jaime G. Galoy, PO1 Rey C. Barbosa, PO1 Jonel C. Gonzaga, PO1 Rommel Bagunas, PO1 Janmark K. Adones, and PO1 Roden T. Goden.
Top officials of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army vowed for a "thorough investigation" over the misencounter, adding that justice will be served to the slain policemen.
Despite the incident, both of them said that their relations remain strong.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said that the death of six police officers in a misencounter "was unintentional."
"Nobody wants it," the President said, as he is scheduled to visit the wake of the slain policemen at the PNP headquarters at Camp Kangleon, Palo, Leyte, on Friday, June 29. (VoxPop Philippines)