By Jennifer P. Rendon
No police personnel should suffer the same fate as Staff Sergeant Mechael Gatinao.
This was the message of Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Western Visayas police chief, as he led the blessing and turnover of mobility assets, tires, and search-and-rescue (SRR) equipment to various police offices in the region on October 31 at the PRO-6 headquarters in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City.
Among the equipment were 176 life vests, which were distributed to the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) with 80 vests, Capiz PPO with 56, and Guimaras PPO with 40.
Wanky said police units must strictly enforce the wearing of life vests during seaborne operations.
He added, “Gatinao could have been saved had he worn a life vest.”
The tragic incident involving Gatinao accelerated the procurement of life jackets for officers conducting seaborne patrols.
Previously, Wanky committed to reviewing current practices and identifying measures to prevent similar incidents.
“We are crafting protocols and operating procedures to enhance our policies in seaborne patrols to ensure the safety of our personnel,” Wanky said.
Beyond mandating life vests for all sea-related police operations, he noted that officers should also carry rescue equipment such as lifebuoys and life rings during seaborne patrols.
In Gatinao’s case, he was not wearing a life vest when the incident occurred.
When Gatinao’s companions realized he had fallen overboard, they tried to locate him by circling the area with a flashlight.
The team reportedly lacked both a lifebuoy and a life ring.
Gatinao went missing on the evening of October 16 in the waters off Barangay Guiwanon, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.
His body was recovered two days later in the waters off Sitio Naoway, Barangay San Isidro, Sibunag, Guimaras, about 20 nautical kilometers from where he went missing.
Still strapped to his body were his issued service firearm—a 9mm Glock pistol with serial number PNP 1494—three magazines of 9mm ammunition with 37 rounds, four long magazines for 5.56mm firearms containing 120 rounds, a flashlight, a mobile phone, and a black bandolier.
However, his Galil Ace Bar 5.56mm rifle with serial number 48289804 remains missing.
