DIPLAHAN, Zamboanga Sibugay — A family is left grieving after a 45-year-old employee of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) was discovered lifeless inside his duty post on Christmas Eve in Purok 1, Barangay Sampoli B, Diplahan.
Police identified the victim as Relly G. Galvez, a resident of Purok Hillside, Barangay Tinongtongan in the same town.
Initial police investigation revealed that Galvez was on a night shift duty. At past 5:00 a.m., he was found lying on the floor, unresponsive. Authorities were immediately alerted, prompting an alert team from Diplahan Municipal Police Station to rush to the scene.
Galvez was hurriedly transported to Wilfredo Palma Hospital in hopes of saving his life, but attending physicians declared him dead on arrival.
According to Dr. Diorey Jesse R. Serrano, M.D., the cause of death was Acute Coronary Syndrome due to Myocardial Infarction, commonly associated with a heart attack.
The victim’s wife shared that her husband had been experiencing health discomforts prior to the incident, but he reportedly dismissed the warning signs. Even his co-workers noticed that he was not feeling well but he still refused to seek medical attention.
The remains of Galvez have been turned over to his family as police formalize the case documentation.
Authorities remind the public to take health symptoms seriously, especially under stressful working conditions, to prevent similar tragedies from happening.