TWO policemen were awarded the Medalya Ng Sugatang Magiting after they were shot and wounded while arresting a wanted man in barangay Dakit, Barili town, southwest Cebu last week.
Chief Supt. Danilo Constantino, chief of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), awarded the medals to Insp. Arvi Arbuis and PO2 Pablito Cadlawon in their hospital beds at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.
Arbuis is chief of the Barili police station. He was with Caadlawon and two other policemen in Wednesday’s operation.
The two other policemen, PO1 Ronie Guzman and PO2 Jessie Lloyd Sebil, will receive their medals during a flag raising ceremony at PRO-7 headquarters.
Cash assistance was given to the two wounded policemen while the PRO-7 also shouldered their medical expenses.
Arbuis and his men rushed to Dakit last Wednesday afternoon to respond to an armed person alarm.
They encountered Arley Satinitigan, 26, a Carcar city resident wanted for murder charges.
In an interview, Arbuis said they identified themselves as policemen when they spotted the man.
Satinitigan allegedly lobbed a grenade at the police but it failed to explode.
Then he drew a 9mm caliber pistol.
Arbuis grappled with him for the gun but the suspect was able to squeeze the trigger. The gunshot hit Arbuis and Cadlawon. Arbuis said he found a chance to draw his gun and shoot the suspect.
The suspect was declared dead at the Barili District hospital. /CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON