PNP assures support for family of slain cop in a viral shootout

BY AARON RECUENCO

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THE family of a slain police official in a viral shootout video with a suspected drug dealer in Parañaque City was assured of financial support and other benefits, the Philippine Na­tional Police (PNP) disclosed on Tuesday.

PNP chief Gen. Archie Gam­boa said that while the financial support and other benefits are nothing compared to what he describes as an ultimate sacrifice made by Police Lt. Armand Melad, the support system from the PNP and the government is meant to show how they value the sacrifices of a law enforcer.

Gamboa said the family of Melad will receive death ben­efits which include P250,000 from the President’s Social Fund, between P141,000 up to P181,000 as Special Financial Assistance (SFA) from the PNP, burial benefits worth P50,000 and P200,000 gratuity from the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

PNP members of the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund are also entitled to death insurance depending on rank.

“These death benefits are on top of the estimated P15,000.00 monthly lifetime pension from the PNP and roughly the same amount of pension for five years from the Napolcom,” said Gamboa.

In the viral video, Melad was seen preventing a backrider of a motorcycle from escaping after they flagged them down for not wearing face masks and violat­ing social distancing.

But the backrider, later iden­tified as Moamar Sarif, was already pulling out a gun and later shot Melad repeatedly.

Although wounded, Melad was seen showing in the video firing at Sarif who was later killed.

Aside from Melad, also wounded in the attack was Corporal Allan Baltazar.

Melad suffered three bullet wounds fired by the suspect and was brought to San Juan De Dios Hospital, Pasay City but later pronounced dead by the attending physician while Baltazar was hit in the leg and was already discharged from the hospital.

Police are now hunting down the companion of the slain sus­pect, identified as Joven Viña, alias Miro.

“It is always a sad day in the PNP when we lose good men in the fight against illegal drugs. But this only strengthens our resolve to go against individu­als and crime syndicates be­hind the illegal drug trade,” said Gamboa.