Ifugao cops use ‘ambulancia de paa’ to transport snakebite victim
USING their good old ‘Ambulancia de Paa’ or foot ambulance, a group of policemen in Hungduan, Ifugao helped save the life of a 14-year-old snakebite victim last week earning them kudos from Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar.
The top cop referred to members of the Hungduan Municipal Police Station who immediately came to the rescue of the Grade 7 male student who was bitten by a venomous snake in Sitio Polod, Barangay Bambang.
Since the victim’s place is inaccessible to motor vehicles and can only be reached by hiking thru the mountainous terrain, the local policemen rushed to the site on foot and brought the victim to the hospital thru the traditional way of ‘fulig’ or the so-called ‘Ambulansya de Paa.’
Using an improvised stretcher fashioned out from bamboo sticks and blanket, the policemen carried the teenager to the nearest hospital.
Cordillera Police Regional Office director, Brigadier Gen. Ronald O. Lee said his men did not hesitate to help after receiving the distress call and successfully brought the victim to the Hungduan Municipal Hospital in Sitio Mabaka in Bgy. Hapao where he received proper medical treatment.
Eleazar commended the police officers for helping save the patient.
“Delikado ang sinapit ng binatilyo. Kung hindi naagapan ay baka ikinamatay pa nito ang pagkakakagat sa kanya ng ahas. Saludo tayo sa mga pulis na mabilis na umaksyon sa insidenteng ito,” the PNP chief said in congratulating the Hungduan policemen for their life-saving act.
