Mourners line up to see for the last time slain rural doctor Dreyfuss Perlas before he was buried in his hometown in Batan, Aklan, on Saturday. —NESTOR P. BURGOS
BATAN, AKLAN—The travel from Tubod town in Lanao del Norte to this town is not easy for Lucky Ayuda.
He and seven companions, however, were not to be dissuaded from paying their last respects to friend and coworker Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas, a barrio doctor who was killed on duty in Lanao del Norte.
Ayuda and his companions traveled for three hours by land from Tubod town to Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental from where he took an hour-long flight to Iloilo City. From Iloilo, he traveled for three hours by land to this town.
“It’s the least we can do to return his goodness and generosity,” said Ayuda, a nurse in Sapad town, Lanao del Norte, where Perlas served as municipal health officer.
“His friendship and sincere service to the people will forever be with us,” Ayuda said.
Mourners
Ayuda and his companions were among some 1,000 relatives, friends, classmates, town mates and fellow health workers who attended Perlas’ burial on Saturday at Batan municipal cemetery where white balloons were released into the air to symbolize peace.
Mourners wore black shirts and armbands to symbolize the quest for justice for Dreyfuss.
A lone gunman shot Dreyfuss dead on March 1 in Kapatagan town, Lanao del Norte.
Dreyfuss, 31, died from a gunshot wound in the back that pierced his heart. Police still have no answers about the killing.
Since Perlas’ remains arrived here on March 3, throngs of people came to his wake.
“We are overwhelmed by the people who have come here, many I’ve met for the first time,” said Dennis, Dreyfuss’ father.
“They really loved and cared for my son,” he said.
Posthumous award
On Saturday, Health Undersecretary Dr. Enrique Tayag bestowed the “Bayani ng Kalusugan” award to Dreyfuss.
Tayag presented the posthumous award to Dreyfuss’ father, mother and sister.
The award, which started last year, honors individuals and organizations for their help in giving universal health care to people. It carries a P200,000 cash prize.
“He will forever live among us in the Department of Health,” Tayag said in a brief program at the Perlas residence here before the burial of the slain doctor.