AFP: Ex-Army man slain at checkpoint survived enemy attack in 2010

Retired Private First Class Winston Ragos, the ex-serviceman killed by a policeman at a quarantine checkpoint in Quezon City earlier this week, survived an attack on an Army detachment in 2010, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has said.

However, he came out of the incident not unscathed.

AFP spokesman Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said Ragos was discharged due to disability in 2017 after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder .

"Records indicate that he might have acquired his condition in a heavy firefight sometime 2010 when the detachment he mans was attacked and was nearly subdied," Arevalo said.

Arevalo said Ragos was last assigned to the 31st Infantry Battalion under the 9th Infantry Division.

""He [was] receiving pension and other entitlements having served the military as an enlisted personnel for seven years," Arevalo said.

Ragos was shot by Police Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo after the former refused to follow the cop and allegedly threatened to draw his weapon in a control point in Barangay Pasong Putik.

The Philippine Army has confirmed that Ragos, who served the military for seven years, was diagnosed with mental disorder (PTSD).

Arevalo said a thorough investigation would be conducted and appropriate criminal and administrative charges would be filed against the cop.

"We were assured of a thorough and impartial investigation by Secretary Eduardo Año and the PNP leadership under Police General Archie Gamboa no less,"Arevalo  said.

The AFP has sent its condolences to the bereaved family of Ragos.

The PNP's Internal Affairs Service is already conducting a probe on the matter, Gamboa earlier said.

Arevalo called for sobriety following the incident.

"We in the AFP agree that the action taken by the policeman concerned was his 'judgement call.' But as to whether he made the right judgement and whether his actions are appropriate are his alone and does not reflect the PNP (Philippine National Police) as an organization," Arevalo said.

"At this time when both the AFP and the PNP are working closely against this threat of COVID-19 pandemic, we would not want this incident to cause animosity between the two organizations," he added. -NB, GMA News