‘Memory will outlive the hero’

UNDER the darkening sky, Police Officer 2 Rey Anthony Nazareno was ferried to his final resting place by the tears of his family, relatives and colleagues at the Calape cemetery yesterday afternoon.

Police Regional Director Noli Taliño said that to give justice to the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) officer’s death, government troops will hunt down the remaining three suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Bohol.

“We promised his family that our men will neutralize the remaining ASG,” Taliño said.

“We will make sure that his family will receive the necessary benefits,” he added.

Hundreds of his friends and relatives wearing white shirts with Nazareno’s face printed with the words, “Our Hero. Lost but not forgotten,” accompanied his procession.

Dominador and Gaudencia Nazareno, the policeman’s parents, said they are proud of their son.

“I did not regret that I let him join the police force. His death was not wasted because he died in the service of our country,” Dominador said.

Gaudencia was emotional when she gazed at her son inside the casket.

“Sus, Dong, naabtan gud ka sa kamatayon (My son, death has come upon you),” she wailed.

She only has one wish and that is for the government to succeedl in their pursuit against the suspected terrorists.

“So that not another life will be sacrificed in this war,” she said, crying.

The fallen policeman was set to be wed next year with his fiancee Emma Oaper, to the distress of the latter who fainted when his casket was about to be placed inside the pantheon at past noon.

A five-year-old also shouted Nazareno’s name and cried.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Tony will watch over you,” her father consoled her.

Nazareno, who was first in line when government troops responded to the alarm about three pumped boats full of heavily-armed men on April 11, was killed during the clash.

His buddy (name requested to be withheld) witnessed his death caused by bullets fired by the suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

He was there as one of the pallbearers in the funeral.

Nazareno together with 2nd Lt. Estilito Saldua, Sgt. John Dexter Duero and Corp. Meljune Cajaban sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.