Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo has declared the province in mourning for the police officers who died in the vehicular accident. (Photo from her Facebook account)
ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte, Philippines — Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo declared the whole province in mourning days after eight police officers, one of them already retired, died in a road crash in Purok 11 of Naawan town, Misamis Oriental on Saturday, Feb. 11.
Police said 29 others, including four civilians, were wounded.
Col. Gonzalo C. Villamor Jr., chief of the Misamis Oriental Police Provincial Office, told the Inquirer on Sunday that the officers were taking a break from leadership training in Cagayan de Oro City. They were aboard two vans on their way to Iligan City, when the tire of a cargo truck they were trying to overtake burst, causing the truck to careen and slam into their vans.
Pronounced dead were Staff Sergeants Michael Ermac, Marjun Reuyan, Jevilou Cañeda, Eugene Lagcao, Aaron Ticar, Arnill Manoop, retired Staff Sgt. Anito Abapo and Staff Master Sergeant Eric Generalao.
“We join the Philippine National Police in mourning the death of eight police officers (mostly) from our province who lost their lives in an accident on February 11. We lost our heroes,” Dimaporo said in a statement.
She expressed her condolences to the bereaved families and sympathy for the wounded.
Col. Isaias Bacurnay Jr., chief of the Lanao del Norte Police Provincial Office, said the flag would be flown at half staff during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday in honor of the “fallen heroes.”
Most of the police officers who died served in Lanao del Norte towns.
It was learned that the police officers who were taking part in the Public Safety Junior Leadership Course at the Philippine National Police’s regional training center in Cagayan de Oro were on their way here after being given privilege passes from the intensive training.
Of the 29 wounded, 16 were already discharged from hospitals in Iligan City, Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City, where they were confined, while 13 others were still being treated.
Of the four wounded civilians, one had already been discharged.
The three civilians still being treated at the hospitals include the cargo truck helper Fairodin Omar Robia and Raul Ampoyo Maghoyop, the driver of the Nissan van transporting the police officers.