The Civil Service Commission extended financial assistance of P100,000 to the immediate family of the late P/Capt. Efren Espanto Jr. of La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, in recognition for his heroism.
Espanto, a police commissioned officer assigned at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6, died Feb. 12 this year, following an encounter with suspected New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Aglobong in Janiuay town, Iloilo.
Lt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 6, said that the CSC Pamanang Parangal sa Lingkod Bayani is a program of the agency that recognizes public servants, who risked their lives or were killed while in the performance of duty.
Aside from the P100,000 in financial assistance, the CSC also granted scholarships to the dependents of Espanto, Malong added.
The awarding ceremony was held Dec. 14 at Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City.
Espanto, a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 2015, is the highest ranking policeman killed in a clash with NPA rebels in Region 6 in recent years.
He was also posthumously awarded the Medalya ng Kadakilaan (PNP Heroism Medal) by the PNP.
Other recipients were the families of the late Police MSgt. Arnel Paurillo, and patrolmen Rex Agupitan, Prince Angelo Supiter, Emerson Peñarubia, and Antonio Tumanday. – GB
