CAGAYAN de Oro lost one of its top talents in a shooting competition when Raul Zapatos Jr ― who was only 41 years old ― apparently succumbed to cardiac arrest.
“Full force ta (GCEC) vigil unya kay mao ra ba ‘ni atong instructor (in) proper handling sa gun,” Kuya Arcy Abella suggests to Jaime Joshua Frias II, the newly-minted president of the Green CdeO Eagles Club under the Northern Mindanao Region (NMR-1).
Looking healthy and full of life, friends and relatives were shocked and befuddled upon learning the news of Zapatos’ untimely demise, last week, after suffering from a stroke while inside the infirmary of the Lumbia jail where he was detained on drug-related charges.
An infirmary is a place within a facility where patients in need of a higher level of care were housed.
However, the physical location is often used to house other inmates whose health or custody needs required a more protective environment than that in general housing (e.g., juveniles, administrative or protective custody inmates, patients with medical history).
“He was a good inmate, buotan walay problema maong gibutang namo siya sa infirmary,” jail guard Bong Mercado told Gold Star Daily.
His younger sister Lira said Zapatos was still brought to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) hospital where he’s been stabilized for some hours when he suffered a second stroke.
“Gamay ra gyod iyang pain tolerance mao kon naay bati-on mo-take dayon siya'g Alaxan ug Mefenamic. Daghan iyang gahuna-hunaon sa sulod unya dili pud siya ga apil-apil ana ilang pasingot like basketbol maong nanambok,” said Lira, who best remembered his brother as very patient.
“Sa among ginikanan kon ma-sermonan dili gyod siya motubag taas kaayo’g pasens’ya.”
The good-looking Zapatos used to work at Regional Trial Court’s Branch 40 before his incarceration.
When he was still a free man, the so-called Lito Lapid of the local shooting community had led GCEC to a grand slam finish in the NMR-1’s annual shootfest in the company of Anjun Gomez, Rey Abbas, Dondon Allorin, Arnel Baba, and Jan Babiera.
“Hunter gyod nga pistolero si Kuya Raul maskin apiki iyang gamit. Sayang nga talent,” said Gomez, who is now a councilor of Gingoog City.
“Mao ‘to ang time nga dili na ‘mi pa-apilon sa Eagles shootfest after nag-grandslam,” said Allorin, the concurrent chieftain of barangay Iponan in Cagayan de Oro City.
Charlie Butron, another fellow Eagle, said he can’t remember any in the NMR-1 circle who could surpass Zapatos’ shooting ability.
One shared a video of him seeing Zapatos hitting a target ― bulls-eye ― while shooting from behind his back, reminiscent of Senator Lapid’s action movie flicks in the 80s.
“He’s also a very good trainer in the use of firearms in a responsible way,” Butron shared.
“He (was) one of a kind,” added Kuya Steven Asil.
His father Raul Zapatos Sr, a retired employee of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was also an elite shooter, thus inspiring his eldest son to follow in his footsteps.
“The only difference was gigamit niya ang abilidad purely sa sports kay sa amo naa gyod mga bloody encounters against illegal loggers being with DENR before,” his father recalled.
The younger Zapatos was fond of posting inspirational quotes on his Faceball wall.
“Making mistakes is better than faking perfections,” was his recent post.
His favorite for a Sunday was this line: “Don’t be a fan of a celebrity, who doesn't even know you. Be a fan of Jesus Christ, who died for you.”
For those who want to pay their last respect to Raul, the wake is in Barangay Balulang at the Zapatos family’s residence. The interment will be on April 21 at Forest Lake Memorial Park.
