Gov. Erico Aris Aumentado and his wife and Bohol 2nd district Rep. Maria Vanessa Aumentado. /CDN File Photo
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado has condemned the killing of a nurse inside the medical ward of Bohol Doctors Hospital in Tagbilaran City on Thursday, October 17.
Aumentado said that this was an isolated case and the first of its kind.
The 51-year-old nurse died after being stabbed several times with a pair of scissors by a patient who was about to be discharged from the hospital.
“In behalf sa mga katawhan sa lalawigan sa Bohol, pahasubo sa pamilya. Sakit paminawn nga naa ka sa safe zone unya nahitabo ang krimen. Wala pa gyud ko kahibaw sa detalye sa panghitabo pero usa ni ka-alarma,” Aumentado said.
Aumentado told the media that he plans to build a provincial Drug Rehabilitation Center to assist people struggling with drug addiction.
Aumentado plans to establish the center at the Maribojoc Community Hospital. If not funded by the provincial government, he may enter into a partnership with private entities to realize the plan.
The 31-year-old suspect, Marlito Linguis, was reportedly a former drug surrenderer in 2017.
Aumentado said that he had proposed a rehab center in the municipality of President Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) when he was still a Congressman around 2016, but it was not approved.
However, his wife, Congresswoman Maria Vanessa Cadorna-Aumentado of Bohol’s second district, refiled the bill.
Rep. Vanessa, who is also a nurse by profession, co-authored HB 6416, “An Act Strengthening the Mental Health Services of State Universities and Colleges and Appropriating Funds Therefor,” which has been approved in the House and is currently in the Senate.
She also co-authored HB 6574, “An Act Strengthening the Promotion and Delivery of Mental Health Services in Basic Education through the Hiring and Development of Mental Health Professionals and Appropriating Funds Therefor,” which is also currently in the Senate.
“Mental health services are beneficial in reducing the risk of chronic diseases related to stress, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Giving importance and attention to mental health issues helps save lives. It also helps improve the outlook of people who may have lost hope and confidence in themselves and life in general. Let’s continue to work together toward attaining better, safer, and healthier workplaces for all of us,” she said.
On her Facebook page, she condemned the killing and expressed sadness over the incident. She said that the issue has profoundly affected the healthcare industry.
She emphasized that healthcare workers are often more susceptible to violence than other professions. They face various forms of discrimination, harassment, or worse, she added.
She added that many crimes nowadays are committed by people who are mentally unstable.
It was reported that the suspect heard something from the nurse that upset him, leading to the stabbing.
In addition to the nurse, a utility worker named Francis was also injured when he was stabbed while trying to stop the suspect.