MORONG, Bataan– The body of one of the “Fallen 44” finally reached their residence in this mountain town Saturday at past noon.
The municipality gave the Special Action Force commando a hero’s welcome. Police officers from police stations in 11 towns and one city and some members of the SAF provided military honor to slain trooper PO3 John Llyod Sumbilla, 33.
Some members of the Bureau of Fire and the Philippine Army together with municipal employees, barangay officials, elementary school teachers and representatives from other sectors joined in the sympathy walk from the Ibayo Bridge in Barangay Binaritan to the municipal hall.
They patiently waited as early as 7:30 in the morning until the hearse coming from Camp Bagong Diwa arrived at about 12:05 p.m. Raechel June Millado Sumbilla, 26, silently followed the hearse carrying a picture of her slain husband.
Raechel, an elementary public school teacher in Morong, and the SAF commando from Su-lat, Eastern Samar contacted civil marriage on September 2014 and exchanged vows in church wedding December of same year. She is six months pregnant with their first child, a baby girl.
With Raechel was Telly Sumbilla, 62-year old widowed mother of the commando, and other relatives. Many residents lined-up the streets. The two many times could not control their tears as they followed the hearse and during the hero’s welcome at the Morong municipal hall.
“Sana makamit ng anak ko at mga kasamahan niya ang hustisya. Karumal-dumal ang ginawa nila sa anak ko,” the mother said in tears. The slain trooper was third in five children of Telly and deceased Sofronio Sumbilla, former chief of police of Sulat, Eastern Samar.
A pastor and priests of the Aglipayan and Catholic churches gave their invocations asking that peace prevail in the country. Chief Insp. Ronald Cayago, deputy battalion commander of the 2nd Special Action Battalion of the Philippine National Police, recalled how John Llyod started in 2005 as a striker doing the cleaning and other errands until becoming a full-pledged police officer in 2006.
“Naubos na ang luha ko dahil 32 sa 44 na napatay ay mga tauhan ko. Sa nangyari ay lalo kaming tumatapang sapagka’t nagiging inspirasyon namin ang magbuwis ng buhay para sa bayan,” he said. He considered Sumbilla as one of the closest to him being a kababayan from Eastern Samar.
Supt. Rhodel Sermonia, Bataan police director, extended the sympathy of the whole provincial police office to the relatives of Sumbilla. Former Morong Mayor Cynthia Estanislao, wife of Mayor Jorge Estanislao, gave tribute to the slain SAF trooper.
The incumbent mayor is sick. “Lungkot ang nadarama ng buong Morong dahil sa nangyari sa aming kababayang si PO3 John Llyod Sumbilla. Isa siyang bayani. Ang karangalang ibinigay niya ay hindi lamang para sa Morong kundi sa buong bansa,” Mrs. Estanislao said.
