THE captured and seriously wounded fighter of the communist-led New People’s Army died early yesterday morning at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro, as confirmed by 1Lt. Vincent Mark Maddul.
The fatality was identified as Jerry Gonzales Bilohan, 22, a resident of Barangay Camuayan, Balingasag town in the eastern part of Misamis Oriental.
Maddul said the wounded guerrilla was captured in the vicinity of river Antayon in Barangay Pigsalohan in Gingoog City last Saturday.
The rebel was captured five kilometers away from the place where the armed clash happened between the 58th Infantry Battalion and Communist fighters, a day after at the hinterland Barangay Pigsalohan on October 28, Maddul bared.
Upon knowing of the rebel was seriously wounded soldiers immediately brought him to the nearest hospital of Gingoog for initial medical treatment and later on transported to NMMC in Cagayan de Oro then died the following day (October 30)
The attending physician at Misamis Oriental Provincial Hospital in Gingoog City discovered a bullet lodged inside the body of the NPA rebel, causing complications to his respiratory system, said Maddul.
However, the attending physician decided to transport the patient to NMMC that same evening for further medical intervention.
He was declared dead due to respiratory distress at around 4:30 on Saturday morning at NMMC by Dr. Arnies Abdulamalik, the attending physician.
In a statement, the Commanding Officer of 58IB, Lt. Col. Christian Uy, extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased NPA terrorist.
“Our troops exerted all (efforts) to save Jerry’s life but he died while receiving medical treatment in the hospital,” Uy’s statement reads in part.