The Bureau of Fire Protection-Zamboanga (BFP-11) has launched an investigation over the death of a trainee during a training exercise in Pagadian City.
BFP-9 Director, Fire Chief Superintendent Jerry Candido, said he already asked the chief of the Regional Internal Affairs Service to conduct an internal investigation over the death of Fire Officer 1 Jerwin Gonzales.
All personnel assigned to facilitate the training were also relieved.
“As a matter of procedure, I directed immediately the Chief ng Regional internal affairs service to conduct our own internal investigation. and I relieved all tactics, duty man or off duty, to pave the way for investigation,” Candido said.
Candido added that the Pagadian City Police Station is also conducting a parallel probe.
“The Pagadian City Police Station will be conducting parallel investigation. We will give full cooperation. We will not hide anything. As the RD of BFP IX, I took full responsibility of everything that happened,” he added.
Gonzales reportedly fainted while participating in the drills as part of the training on May 20, 2024.
“Tumawag ang tactical officer, nasa ER sya. Sabi nya, ‘unconscious ang kapatid mo. High fever, may rashes.’ Humihingi sila ng consent para ma-intubate kapatid ko. Sabi ko, before ako magdecide, gusto ko malaman totoong status ng kapatid ko. Nakausap ko nag doctor. Kailngan na daw iintubate kasi naghihingalo na kapatid ko. Ilang minute lang, tumawag ulit, sini-CPR na ang kapatid ko,” Gonzales’ brother, Vergel, said.
According to the doctor’s findings, Gonzales died of fatal arrhythmia with severe hypophosphatemia. It means his heartbeat may have abnormality, which resulted in the decrease of phosphorus in the blood.
However, Gonzales’ family is not convinced with the findings as he had been an active athlete since he was young. The family has decided to have the body autopsied.
“Before umalis kapatid ko sa Zamboanga, nagprepare talaga sya, tsaka athletic siya. Although sinasabi nila na iba ang laro sa training, pero ang hangin nyan, hindi basta-basta kasi naglalaro nga yan from 1st quarter to 4th quarter. Hindi kami naniniwala na ganyan lang nangyari sa kaya. Kaya ipapa-autopsy naming,” Gonzales’ brother, Vergel, said.
Jerwin passed the criminologists licensure examination last 2023 and he applied and passed the examination at the BFP-9. He went to Pagadian City for the oath-taking ceremony on May 16, 2024, where the training started at the regional office on the same day. (Alwen Saliring, One Mindanao)
(Source: Pagadian News Daily Facebook page)