By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Hinigaran municipal police chief was recently awarded the Wounded Medal award, which recognizes bravery and devotion to duty, by the Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) after he was shot trying to pacify an armed and violent person in the town’s Barangay Palayog last week.
PRO-6 director, Police Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, conferred Police Chief Inspector Jake Barila the award at the hospital, where the local police chief is recovering after suffering a gunshot wound to the foot.
Earlier, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) released a separate statement lauding Barila for exercising maximum tolerance, due process of law, and respect of human rights despite the violent behavior of the suspect, Davi Ysasi,
During the incident, Barila tried to deescalate the situation by calming down Ysasi and trying to convince him to surrender; however, the suspect responded by shooting Barila in the foot, forcing the police to open fire at him.
Ysasi was later transported to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest. The suspect is presently facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and attempted murder.
The suspect’s violent behavior stemmed from his mother’s refusal to lend him money in order to resolve his debt problems.
Ysasi is also under the local barangay’s drugs watchlist./DGB, WDJ
