TAWI-TAWI-BASED Maritime policemen have safely rendered emergency assistance to a family whose father needed immediate medical attention amid the inclement weather condition on Monday, August 25, 2025.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Jeseryl Dela Cruz, 1st Special Operations Unit-Maritime Group (SOU-MG) chief, said Tuesday, August 26, that his personnel noticed a series of light flashes from a motorboat that appeared to be seeking assistance while on seaborne patrol around 10:15 p.m. Monday, off Buan, Panglima Sugala town.
Dela Cruz said the team quickly responded and approached the motorboat where they saw two children trying to rush their father, Guan Ing Karain, to Bongao but had difficulty due to darkness and bad weather.
Dela Cruz said Karain was suffering from severe pain and swollen left leg after being stung by a poisonous fish locally called "Luppoh."
He said the team without hesitation transferred the patient and his two children to the gunboat and quickly brought them to Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi.
He said Karain was brought to the Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital for medical treatment after they arrived at the 1st SOU headquarters in Bongao.
He said they also provide humanitarian assistance to citizens whenever needed aside from guarding the sea against lawless elements. (SunStar Zamboanga)