PNP taps medical officer to report on chopper crew still in hospital

March 9, 2020

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will designate a medical officer who will give updates on the condition of two generals who remain unconscious after they met an accident in San Pedro, Laguna last Friday.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said PNP director for comptrollership, Major General Jose Maria Victor Ramos and PNP director for intelligence, Major General Mariel Magaway are now “generally okay”.

“We received latest reports though that their conditions are improving… But of course they remain in the intensive care unit and we all know that when you are confined there at ICU you are on close monitoring,” Gamboa said.

“Now we have agreed to possibly designate a medical officer for medical interpretations because honestly I’m not familiar with medical terms. We might give a different interpretation and you know when not all details are being provided it might lead to different conclusion. So until we designate a medical officer who will do the medical bulletin, I hope it will remain at that for now,” he added.

Gamboa made the statement after reports released last Saturday said Ramos passed away while being transferred to a hospital in Muntinlupa City.

Few minutes after releasing the statement, acting PNP spokesperson, Police Major General Benigno Durana Jr clarified that Ramos was “successfully resuscitated and still fighting for his life”.

The two generals, Ramos and Magaway are at the Asian Hospital. They were with Gamboa, his aide de camp, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, two pilots and one crew when their helicopter crashed after hitting a high tension wire in Laguna last February 5.

In his statement, Gamboa said he, his aide, and Banac have been discharged from a hospital in Taguig City while the two pilots and the crew are still undergoing further tests and medical procedures.

“Police Senior Master Sergeant Louie Estona, underwent surgery last Friday at the St. Luke’s Medical Center where he is confined. The condition of the pilots and crew are, nonetheless, non-life threatening,” he said.

“I invite everyone to join us in fervent prayer for the continuous healing of my classmates MGen Ramos and MGen Magaway who remain under intensive care,” he added.  Ella Dionisio/DMS