Duterte posthumously awards Kalasag medal to MisOr cop

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has posthumously conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu, rank of Kalasag, on the police officer who sacrificed his life to protect students from a grenade explosion inside a college campus in Initao, Misamis Oriental, Malacañang said on Friday.

The Palace said the President bestowed the posthumous award on Thursday when he visited the wake of Police Master Sergeant Jason Magno, who shielded his body to cover a grenade thrown by a man who ran amok inside the Initao College campus in Jampason village in Misamis Oriental on November 28.

Duterte immediately flew to Misamis Oriental after leading a post-disaster briefing in Legazpi City, Albay to pay his last respects to Magno.

“The President awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu, rank of Kalasag, to Police Master Sgt.

Jason Magno who died during an incident involving a man armed with a hand grenade inside a campus in Initao,” Malacañang said in a press statement sent to reporters on Friday.

“At the same time, the President extended his condolences to the family of the slain policeman, who also received the Medal of Valor for his gallantry,” it added.

The Order of Lapu-Lapu, rank of Kampilan, is given to a person who was seriously wounded or suffered great loss as a direct result of his participation in an activity under the President’s campaign or advocacy.

The Philippine National Police’s Medal of Valor, meantime, is the highest award recognizing any police personnel who has performed a “deed of personal bravery or self-sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty so conspicuously as to distinguish him above his comrades.”

More people could have died in a grenade blast at Initao College on Nov. 28, had Magno failed to offer his life by covering the explosive device.

Magno, 46, died along with Ibrahim Basher, the carrier of a hand grenade that exploded in the covered court of Initao College.

Magno’s colleague, Sgt. Alice Balido, and 16 other people were rushed to the hospital after sustaining injuries.

Malacañang said Balido also received the Kampilan award from the President.

In a Facebook post, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go said Duterte has also granted monetary aid to Magno’s family and Balido.

“Binigyan din ng financial assistance mula sa Office of the President ang pamilya ni Magno at Balido (The Office of the President gave financial assistance to Magno’s family and Balido),” said Go who accompanied the President during his wake visit to Magno.