Gov’t medals cop slain by NPA in Iloilo ambush

CABATUAN, ILOILO – Interior Undersecretary Eduardo Año awarded the Medalya ng Kadakilaan to Police Officer 1 Joeffel Odon, who was slain in an ambush by communist rebels in Maasin town last week.

Año, who visited the wake of Odon at Cabatuan town, handed financial assistance to Evelyn Odon, the mother of the policeman.

This includes a personal cash assistance from President Rodrigo Duterte, and a check amounting to P250,000, which is part of the P500,000-assistance from the government.

“He is a hero,” Año told Evelyn.

New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents ambushed Odon and his fellow policemen while they were about to leave Sitio Camansi, Barangay Bolo in Maasin town, Iloilo after conducting routine patrol operation last Friday night.

Ten policemen were wounded in the attack, which was subsequently owned up by the NPA’s Jose Percival Estocada Command.       /kga