CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia will refer the case involving the death of a three-week-old baby boy who died of pneumonia at the San Francisco District Hospital in Camotes Island to the Provincial Committee on Discipline and Investigation (Codi).

The governor made the pronouncement after hearing the side of Vilma Concoles, the child’s bereaved mother, in a meeting in Tudela town on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 7, 2020.

“I want a full-scale investigation so I will refer it to Codi. After the nine-day novena for the dead, they will go to the Capitol to execute an affidavit. As I’ve said before, I want to hear both sides of the story,” Garcia said in a mix of English and Cebuano.

Kai Gavin Yangson’s death certificate showed that he died of pneumonia at around 3 a.m. of Jan. 2, 2020.

Although the incident report revealed that the infant died of pneumonia, the bereaved family had cried foul over allegations of neglect from the attending doctor.

During her meeting with Concoles, Garcia extended financial aid from her own pocket to help the family.

Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco (Cebu, 5th), the governor’s son-in-law, also extended financial help to Concoles.

Frasco was also in Tudela with the governor and other Capitol and town officials to distribute cash incentives to barangay frontline services workers.

Concoles, for her part, welcomed the governor’s intervention.

In a seperate interview, Concoles said they are hoping that the Codi investigation will help bring her fourth and youngest child’s death to justice. (RTF)