FAMILY OF AMBUSH SURVIVOR SEEKS HELP ON HOSPITAL BILLS

KIDAPAWAN CITY—THE family o fa radio station manage rin Tacuro ngc it ywh o survived an ambush is appeali ngf or financial help after hi sh ospitalization bills balloone dtoo ver P1m illion.

Benjie Caballero ,s tation manage ro fra dyo ni Juan, i ss till unde ri ntensive car ea t an undisclosed hospit al s ince Oct. 30, when he was shot by unidentified men while waiti ngf or a ride at Barangay New Isabela.

Caballero ’ss ister, Gladys Caballero Billedo ,sa id hi sh ospitalization i sn o wa t P1.6 million.

“It ’ss o expensi vea t ap rivate hospit als o we wan t to mo veh im to a publi ch ospital, but wes till have to pay the balance, which is huge,” Billedo said.

She sa idt he family of Sultan Kudarat Rep. Suharto “Teng” Mangudadat uan d wife Maguindanao Gov. Mariam Mangudadatu pledged P500,000.

She has also sough tt he help of others i ng overnment, including Malacañang.

According to Joel Egco, undersecretary of t hep residential Task Force o n Me dia Securit, Suharto Mangudadatu has pledged P1 m illio n wh ile Maguindanao Rep. Esmael Mangudadat

u,c ommitted P100,000.

Billedo said some P300,000 from the Office of t hep resident was also bei ngp rocessed.

Sen. Bong Go through the Malasakit Center contributed P 100,000, she said, adding that the amount was paid directly to t heh ospital.

Billedo sa idt hey were trying to mee tt he requirements of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Department of Social Welfar ean d Development for financial assistance.

Medication stopped

Caballero’s relatives, friends and colleagues also contributed money, which was use dto buy medicines.

Bu tt heh ospital has stopped medicatio nf ort wo weeks now, while the balance remained unsettled.

The family remained hopeful that Caballero could still recover from intensive care.

“He was i nac oma in t he f irst week. But after his secon do peration, he was able to wake up and hec ould alread ym o veh is fingers,” Billedo said.

“Maybe our colleagues in the media can help ease Benjie’s hospitalizatio nc ost,” Egco said.

“Benji e kn o ws h i sa ttacker and it i s importan tt hat he survives this ordeal,” he added.