crimes in the Philippines

‘Justice for Dr. Andutan’: Shock, grief in Cagayan de Oro over killing of prominent doctor

Grace Cantal-Albasin

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‘Justice for Dr. Andutan’: Shock, grief in Cagayan de Oro over killing of prominent doctor

MURDER. Crime scene investigators look for clues around the vehicle of slain Cagayan de Oro physician Raul Winston Andutan in Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro.

Menzie Montes/IFM Cagayan de Oro

'We hereby condemn in the harshest terms this act of barbarism perpetuated on peaceful, law abiding citizens of our great city,' says Cagayan de Oro Councilor Malou Serina Gaane, who is also a physician

Local leaders and members of the medical profession expressed shock and grief as they condemned the killing of Dr. Raul Winston Andutan, a prominent physician in Cagayan de Oro city.

Cagayan de Oro 1st District Representative Rolando Uy, whose son was killed in the city weeks earlier, called on police to quickly resolve Andutan’s case.

In a Facebook post on Friday, December 3, Uy said that the “senseless and brutal” killing of the doctor “in broad daylight” was “alarming.” He conveyed his condolences to the Andutan family.

Cagayan de Oro Councilor Malou Serina Gaane, also a physician, said in a Facebook post: “We hereby condemn in the harshest terms this act of barbarism perpetuated on peaceful, law abiding citizens of our great city. One man’s shortcomings, whether real or imagined, is never reason enough to kill somebody, anybody.”

Andutan was killed by riding-in-tandem gunmen on Thursday morning, December 2. People who knew the doctor also paid tribute to the doctor on social media about his good deeds, his expertise on his medical specialization, and and joined calls for justice for Andutan. 

The Council for Health and Development also condemned the killing. “The Council for Health and Development condemns in the strongest possible terms the senseless killing of Dr. Raul Winston Andutan, medical director of Maria Reyna Xavier University Hospital…. He was known to his collegues and patients as an excellent surgeon and a compassionate friend, father, and doctor. Our sincerest condolences to his loved ones. Justice for Dr. Raul Winston Andutan!” it said in a Facebook post.

Andutan served as the medical director of the Jesuit-owned Maria Reyna Xavier University Hospital (MRXUH) in Barangay Camaman-an. 

MRXUH management urged its community to join the nine-day novena for the doctor set start on December 3 at the hospital’s chapel. 

“We mourn the sudden passing of our beloved Medical Director, Dr. Raul Winston P. Andutan. We are forever grateful for his generous service, his caring presence to his colleagues, hospital personnel, and patients. His wisdom and total dedication to MRXUH,” read part of the statement. 

Monsignor Rey Monsanto, the parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Camaman-an, offered prayers for the eternal repose of the soul of Andutan and also called for justice for the doctor.

Monsanto said Andutan was the doctor of most priests in Cagayan de Oro. 

Tomas Talledo, a classmate of Andutan at the University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV) in Iloilo City, said he could not believe his classmate’s brutal death and attributed this to the climate of impunity in the country. 

“We were classmates in BS Biology at UPV. Alas, the prevailing climate of impunity surrounding us today enables this despicable deed!” Talledo said in a Facebook post. – Rappler.com

Grace Cantal-Albasin is a Mindanao-based journalist and an awardee of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.

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