PNP honors cop killed by communist rebels in Samar

Patrolman Mark Monge

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has awarded the Medalya ng Kadakilaan (PNP Heroism Medal) to one of its men who was reportedly killed by communist rebels in Samar province.

Patrolman Mark Monge was cited for “bravery and heroism, above and beyond the call of duty,” when he and other police officers shot it out with around 10 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels on July 16 at the boundary of Barangay San Nicolas in San Jose de Buan town and Barangay Mabuhay in Gandara town.

The PNP, in a statement on Wednesday, cited the 28-year-old police officer, “who offered the supreme sacrifice in [the] line of duty during an armed encounter with communist terrorists in Samar.”

According to a police report, the NPA rebels suddenly fired at the police officers who were conducting a humanitarian activity. They fired back, leading to a firefight that lasted for about five minutes until the rebels left the area.

PNP officer in charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., meanwhile, assured Monge’s family of financial support and social benefits, including death benefits totaling over P1.4 million, composed of P500,000 from the President’s Social Fund; P256,345.98 as special financial assistance and P107,462.34 as commutation of accumulated leave from the PNP; a P445,020.00 gratuity from the National Police Commission; and P100,000 Pamanang Lingkod ng Bayan from the Civil Service Commission.

Earlier Danao gave P200,000 in financial aid to Monge’s family, while Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, the Eastern Visayas police office director, offered P100,000.

Monge’s kin is also entitled to insurance amounting to P975,504.22 from the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund Inc.

“We feel the anxiety of every wife, child and parent of our policemen. Just like that, another policeman’s family can become fatherless, another can become a widow, and another parent can lose a child while our policemen perform their duty to ensure that our countrymen are safe in their homes. The only way to address the situation is to strike hard on these terrorists,” Danao said.

“Patrolman Monge did not die in vain, the PNP derives inspiration from his heroic death,” he added.

He ordered the regional police to conduct “follow-up operations and a legal offensive” against those responsible for the ambush.

For the past weeks, government forces and communist rebels have engaged in firefights in Eastern Visayas where insurgency remains a major concern.

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