PHILIPPINE National Police Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant General Vic Danao on Monday was seething with anger as he condemned the New People’s Army for killing a young policeman in Gandara, Samar.

The top cop was full of emotion when he lashed at the NPA movement as it turned out that they have killed Patrolman Mark Mongre whose only fault was to join his colleagues in extending aid to the ‘poorest of the poor’ in Gandara municipality last Saturday.

“Another personnel of ours who at that moment is in the process of distributing goods to our poorest of the poor kababayans. Nagconduct sila ng mga ayuda, mga medical mission sa ating mga kababayan doon sa Region 8,” he told his men during the PNP flag-raising ceremony at Camp Crame.

Listen to these words of Lt. Gen. Danao, the current ‘Father of the PNP’ as he lost one of his sons anew to the NPA movement. “Nakakalungkot lang isipin na itong mga loko na kaliwang grupo, eh anak ng…. Why would you ambush our people there giving civic aid, nagbibigay ng ayuda sa area?.

“Anak ng… Ang sarap niyong pagmumurahin. Ang tao, nandoon, nagko-community relations, inambush niyo. Sarap magmura, sa totoo lang. Nakakasama ng loob. Ganyan ba ang gusto niyong gobyerno na makita ninyo? Alam niyo kung pwede lang baligtadin ng gobyerno, ako ang aambush mismo sa inyo,” he said.

My family and I join the entire police force in mourning the death of the rookie cop, the latest policeman to be killed in the line of duty. Indeed, it was a highly-condemnable act. When he spoke last Monday, Lt. Gen. Danao asked his men to offer a few seconds of prayer for their fallen colleague.

It was another sad chapter in the PNP’s vaunted history, another deadly NPA attack which caused the life of a rookie cop who joined the force to ‘serve and protect’ and help his family, only to be killed by a hail of NPA bullets.

As Police Regional Office 8 director, my friend, Brigadier Gen. Bernie Banac had told me, the victim and his fellows from the 804th Maneuver Company of the Eastern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company were conducting humanitarian activity in the areas of San Nicolas, San Jose de Buan and Barangay Mabuhay in Gandara, Samar last Saturday when they were attacked by the guerrillas.

The former PNP spokesperson said that around 10 heavily-armed rebels fired at the policemen without any provocation prompting the officers led by Lieutenant Mark Mhon Amistoso to defend themselves.

According to the Eastern Visayas police director, the Samar policemen forced the NPA gunmen to flee on foot after a 5-minute firefight. However, Pat. Monge was badly wounded during the clash and died while being taken to a local hospital.

Brig. Gen. Banac said that the NPA group was believed to have suffered an undetermined number of casualties during the gunfight. He said that officers are checking hospitals and clinics in the area for the presence of any person being treated for a gunshot wound.

The PRO8 director also condemned the NPAs treacherous act. “We will not cease in chasing the perpetrators. The Communist Terrorist Group is one of the roots of poverty in the hinterland areas of Eastern Visayas, and this has to end,” he said while vowing to further intensify their campaign against insurgency.

Lt. Gen. Danao said all necessary assistance and benefits will be given to the family of the slain cop who will be given a hero’s burial. “Justice will be served. The perpetrators will be made to answer for their criminal actions,” the PNP-OIC said.

A hurting Lt. Gen. Danao also said he wish that the Philippine media will highlight the sacrifices of the police force in fighting criminality, terror and corruption in the country, particularly the officers who have died in the anti-drug war and crackdown on insurgency and terrorism.

Pat. Mongre became the 309th policeman to be killed in the line of duty since 2016. Of the number, 59 were shot dead while performing anti-narcotics operations, 161 died in anti-criminality campaigns while 91 perished as a result of counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism drives. Ten of the 309 slain policemen were killed while conducting anti-illegal drug operations in Metro Manila.

“We grieve for another policeman killed in the performance of duty. He may not be with us anymore but rest be assured that his memory will not be forgotten,” said the top cop as he said that the whole organization mourns the death of the Samar cop who displayed bravery and gallantry and offered the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

Last month, a Bicol policeman identified as Staff Sergeant Nikki Codera was killed in a gunbattle with a wanted NPA rebel in Pasay City. Codera’s superior, Lieutenant Rogelio Walay was also wounded in the gunfight with the suspect whom they were trying to arrest for a murder case in his hiding place in Pasay City.

Then there is the case of Pat. Joshua Linggayo of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group who died 14 days after being shot in the abdomen by one of two heavily-armed kidnappers in Pililla, Rizal. The two suspects who were eventually killed in the gunfight with PNP-AKG agents were among the armed men who seized two men in Tondo, Manila and demanded a P100 million ransom for their release. The PNP-AKG headed by Brigadier Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas launched an operation which led in the safe release of the two hostages and the killing of the two suspects.

The top cop said that his wish is for the country and the media in particular to not forget the heroism of these fallen policemen and even for a day or too make it a point to focus on their sacrifices and the families they have left just like the way many Filipinos would turn a simple act, a picture or a video into a viral Facebook post. Amen Sir.