ILOILO City – The police patrolman who sustained a gunshot wound while serving a search warrant in Barangay Adcadarao, Ajuy, Iloilo on June 15 was yesterday honored with a Philippine National Police Wounded Personnel Medal.
The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) recognized Police Patrolman Herbert Felera’s courage yesterday at the Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital where he was confined.
No less than PRO-6 director Police Brigadier General John Bulalacao pinned the medal on Felera of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s Special Operations Group (SOG).
The Philippine National Police Wounded Personnel Medal is bestowed to policemen who have been “wounded in action against an enemy as a direct result of an act of the enemy provided such wounds necessitate treatment by a medical officer.”
Felera and company were about to serve a search warrant to the house of Ronald Paja, 34, in Barangay Adcadarao when shot.
He sustained a wound on the right arm.
The PRO-6 is shouldering Felera’s hospitalization but it has also released financial assistance to him yesterday.
“We honor our policemen who are working hard to maintain peace and order. We salute our brave personnel,” said Bulalacao.
The Office of the President would also be giving additional assistance to Felera, he revealed.
“I did not expect the suspect to shoot us. I told him to open the door and he asked us to wait for a while,” said Felera.
Paja fled through the backdoor of his house after firing a 12-gauge shotgun.
He was arrested the following day, June 16, in the mountainous area of Ajuy and was detained at the Ajuy police station.
IPPO director Police Colonel Marlon Tayaba said charges of frustrated murder and illegal possession of homemade firearm were subsequently filed against Paja.
The shotgun used against Felera were recovered from the suspect’s house.
Tayaba said Paja was involved in two murder cases; one was settled and the other was dismissed by the court./PN
