CITOM says goodbye to slain enforcer

CEBU, Philippines - A day before his funeral, the remains of the enforcer who was gunned down while manning traffic was brought to the office he served before passing away.

Batch mates of CITOM enforcer Armando Daligdig took turns and stood in pairs for an hour right in front of his coffin which was laid at the ground floor of CITOM office.

Zaldy Oporto, who finished the enforcers’ training together with Daligdig and 22 others in 2007, described Daligdig as “friendly”.

“We finished the same training from January to March 2007. We started as 28 in the batch but only 24 completed,” Oporto told reporters after taking his turn in guarding his colleague’s wake.

Like Daligdig, he was also assigned in Barangay Banilad manning another area at Governor M. Cuenco Avenue particularly Paradise subdivision, before reaching the late enforcer’s area of responsibility at the Banilad-Talamban flyover where he was shot June 6.

Another batch mate, enforcer Adonis Café said Daligdig was the silent type but was friends with everybody.

“We received a shooting alarm that morning. We did not know it was him. When we learned it was a fellow CITOM enforcer, we rushed to his area. He was already brought to the hospital when we got there. He was already dead,” Café, assigned at the towing department, recalled.

He added that Daligdig was the first casualty in their entire batch.

Though deployed in different areas, Café said their batch stayed close since they catch up during meetings and other activities of CITOM.

Mary Rose Daligdig, the late enforcer’s widow, said she has remained strong for their two children, 14 year old Jennifer who is currently third year high school and eight year old Stephany still at grade 4.

“He was really a loving husband. Ang akoa lang para niya, go on nalang siya sa iyang journey. Alangan akong pugngan iyang kamatayon. Hangyo lang pud ko niya nga iya ming i-guide sa among paglakaw ug sa among adlaw-adlaw nga kinabuhi. (I want him to go on in his journey but I ask that he guide us in our daily lives) ,” Mrs. Daligdig told reporters.

A Catholic mass was scheduled by CITOM office 5:30p.m. yesterday and was attended by colleagues at the city government.

Today, a funeral service by Iglesia Sa Dios Espiritu Santo church, still at the CITOM office, will be held at 10 a.m.  before Daligdig will be laid to rest at the Mandaue City Cemetery.

Daligdig’s batch mates in CITOM volunteered to assist in the funeral, and personally carry their comrade’s coffin to his final rest.

CITOM executive director Atty. Rafael Yap said employees were not required but encouraged to attend the funeral rites of their colleague who was gunned down while on duty.  (FREEMAN)