THE visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to Negros Oriental on Thursday, July 27, inspired the Negrenses, Governor Roel Degamo said.
Duterte, along with Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa, visited the wake of the slain policemen in Guihulngan City, and their wounded colleagues in Dumaguete City.
Degamo, who joined the President in his visit to the three policemen recovering at Silliman University Medical Center, said he is very thankful that Duterte came to the province as it boosted the morale of the Negrenses especially those in Guihulngan.
Last July 21, suspected New People’s Army rebels ambushed responding policemen, leaving six of them, including station Chief Arnel Arpon, dead and three others injured.
Aside from Arpon, also killed were Senior Police Officer 2 Mecasio Tabilon, Senior Police Officer 2 Teovic Agosto, Senior Police Officer 1 Jesael Ancheta, Police Officer 2 Alvin Paul Bulandres, and Police Officer 2 Alfredo Dunque.
Wounded were Senior Police Officer 4 Jerome Delara, Police Officer 3 Jordan Balderas, and Police Officer 2 Jorie Maribao.
On Thursday, before Duterte left for Davao City, the President and Degamo had a meeting at the conference room of Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport. They were joined by De la Rosa and top ranking officials of the police and military in Negros Island Region.
Degamo said they talked about the assistance for the families of the killed and injured policemen.
They also talked about ways to strengthen security measures in Negros Island, the governor said, as he urged his constituents not to panic as the ambush was an isolated case.
He said more Special Action Force personnel were deployed to Guihulngan.
Degamo said the visit of the President also boosted the morale of the policemen in Negros Oriental.
Duterte said on Thursday he came to Negros Oriental to share the sorrow of the families of the policemen and to show solidarity with the wounded soldiers, as he criticized the communist rebels and their leader Jose Maria Sison for perpetrating a series of attacks in recent weeks.
During his visit, Duterte conferred posthumous awards to the six policemen. He also extended financial assistance amounting to P500,000 to each family as well as educational scholarships to the policemen’s children.
The wounded policemen were also conferred awards for bravery and received financial assistance from Duterte.
Meanwhile, Degamo said he did not bring up the fate of Negros Island Region (NIR) during his meeting with the President.
He said abolishing the region would contradict the advocacy of Duterte to shift to federal form of government.
He added that he believes Duterte is supportive of NIR’s existence.
Earlier, Negros Occidental Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez said the fate of NIR remains uncertain as there are still some government agencies not recognizing its creation.