A popular health officer and well-loved doctor in a municipality in Lanao del Norte has been shot dead on his way home in his motorcycle by an unidentified assailant.
Dr. Dreyfuss "Toto" Perlas of Sapad municipality was driving along Barangay Maranding Annex in Kapatagan on his way to Lala town around 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, said Kapatagan police chief Senior Insp. Melvin Loquinte.
The 31-year-old doctor was rushed to the Lanao del Norte Provincial Hospital in Kapatagan town, but was declared dead on arrival.
Chief Senior Superintendent Faro Antonio Olaguera of Lanao del Norte Provincial Police said they are investigating a heated argument between Perlas and a patient or a patient's relative at Bontilao Country Hospital in February.
"We have gathered evidence, including his phone, which we are submitting to the Anti-Cybercrime Group," Olaguera added.
A .45 caliber cartridge from the crime seen has bene recovered by the police.
The Filipino medical community took to social media to express their grief over Perlas' unexpected demise.
Perlas was a phycisian who was deployed to Lanao de Norte under the government's 'Doctors to the Barrios' (DTTB) program.
According to JR Ong, one of Perlas' batchmates in DTTB, the slain doctor chose to stay in Lanao del Norte even after his contract ended three years ago. He described Perlas as an "Aklanon deployed to Lanao del Norte, where no one dares to work."
A program by the Department of Health, DTTB provides "quality health care service to depressed, marginalized, and underserved areas through the deployment of competent and community-oriented doctors."
Perlas finished his undergraduate degree at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 2006. He completed Medicine at the West Visayas State University in 2011.
Image: Inquirer
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