CONSIDERED a hero by the many patients and co-workers whose life he either helped prolonged or touched, words of sympathy keep over pouring after the grisly murder of Dr. Raul Winston Andutan along the streets of Barangay Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City on Thursday morning.
One policewoman caught in a video in full uniforms even cried a river when she rushed to the crime scene, only to learn that the one who saved her from a potentially developing breast cancer illness did not survive the broad-daylight onslaught carried away by riding-in-tandem perpetrators.
“Wala koy k’warta adto nga time when I experienced health crisis pero iya kong gitabangan nga ma-operahan dayon aron malayo sa peligro,” the female cop in tears told Marlon Castro, head of the village tanod in Nazareth, who quickly responded to the pre-lunch ambuscade.
According to some witnesses, Dr. Andutan was still alive when the colored gray Toyota Fortuner that he was driving crashed into the motorcycles parked near a laundry shop along the 12th-29th streets, or just across another street where the house of deputy speaker Rufus Rodriguez is situated.
“Matod pa sa nakakita nga akong nahinabi human sa hitabo, mora’g naratol ang doktor mi-abli sa iyang windshield nangayo’g tabang maong giduol sa suspek gidul-itan kadtong fatal nga igo sa iyang liog. Tingali mabuhi pa kon wala gi-open iyang window,” Castro told Gold Star Daily.
When Dr. Andutan was brought to the nearby Maria Reyna Hospital, it appeared that he was already clinically dead.
“Lagom na kaayo iyang liog wala nay sign of life adtong pag check sa iya sa unang miabot nga ambulansya sa Oro Rescue,” Castro said, noticing that at least two motorcycle helmets and four bullet slugs were scattered around the ground with the fifth empty shell being found near from the victim's body inside the car.
The suspects, a rela driver said, have started shooting the victim’s car at a busy street passing through the Catholic San Antonio church.
“Pinakamaayo nga doctor siya ang instrumento hangtod karon buhi pa ko. Halos di gapabayad,” posted Epifania Quitoriano on her social media account.
“Working in a foreign country assigned at a urology/kidney transplant theatre, I am well-equipped now and that’s because I learned a lot from him,” wrote Zosianne Reyes, a nurse now based in Ireland.
The Health Action for Human Rights has strongly condemned the murder of Dr. Andutan, the medical director of Maria Reyna Xavier University Hospital, as well as the Council for Health and Development.
“He was known to his colleagues and patients as an excellent surgeon and a compassionate friend, father, and doctor,” the CHD said.
