FOR personnel of the Basak Police Station in Mandaue City, it was business as usual last Monday morning, on November 12. That is, until a taxi pulled over in front of the station around 11 a.m.
Inside was a woman about to give birth accompanied by her brother.
The taxi driver was worried that she wouldn’t make it to the Ouano Hospital across the Mactan Channel in Lapu-Lapu City because of the traffic. He figured that a patrol car with its siren could better maneuver around the vehicles.
PO1 Elmer Gonzales said when Senior Inspector Rodgene Fudotan, the station chief, was told about the problem, the latter immediately ordered them to get the woman, who, until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, November 13, was not yet identified, to the hospital even though it was located outside their jurisdiction.
Driver Elmor Ceniza drove the station’s patrol car with body number “329” as fast as he could heading towards the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge while Gonzales and Josie Tejano, a non-uniformed personnel, attended to the woman, who was clearly in labor.
Early Christmas gift
Just as they made the crossing, the woman was in her final throes of motherhood. She was lucky that Tejano is a registered nurse, and the latter was able to assist her until she gave birth to her daughter.