Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija – – He should have not died.
Thus, said during the burial today of PO3 Marlon Pastrana Francisco who was killed by a kidnapper during a rescue attempt of a kidnap victim-turned sex slave in San Antonio, Nueva Ecija.
Francisco, 34, a member of this town’s police, was hacked to death by the fleeing kidnapper when his 9MM Beretta pistol jammed last June 6.
The killing came when cops of this town with Francisco were out to rescue Daiselyn Popes who was kidnapped here and brought by Aldy Mendez, AKA Macmac, to a secluded hut in Barangay Buliran in San Antonio town and turned into sex slave.
Popes was rescued and was found with her hands and feet tied to a make shift bamboo bed.
Those in the know who requested their names withheld revealed that during the rescue, Mendez was already surrounded by Francisco’s policemen group in his secluded hide-out but shot it out with cops and ran out of bullets.
Armed only with a bolo, Mendez tried to run away but was met by Francisco.
However, Francisco’s gun jammed, and was repeatedly hacked by Mendez before he himself was gunned down.
Personally known to this writer, Francisco is a silent-type and soft spoken person who would not be mistaken for a policeman if dressed in civilian clothes.
Francisco left behind his wife Jo-ann and 2 children, Jana Mikaela and Mark Jayden.
“He is a good and a very dedicated policeman. He should not have died if his gun did not jam,” said PO3 Philip Zafra, a first cousin of Francisco.
During the Eulogy, Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Director PSSupt Antonio Yarra extolled Francisco “for giving his life to save a victim of crime.”
“Francisco deserves to be honored, he is a real good policeman. He served well our country, the PNP and his family”, said Yarra.
Cabanatuan City’s chief of police PSupt Ponciano Zafra is also a cousin of Francisco./Nelson Bolos