Mental health center chief, driver shot dead
The director of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) and his driver were gunned down by motorcycleriding assailants in Quezon City yesterday morning.
Roland Cortez, 61, and NCMH employee Ernesto de la Cruz, 46, were in a car when they were fired upon by the suspects at the corner of Cassanova Drive and Tandang Sora Avenue in Barangay Culiat at around 7 a.m.
Police said they found the victims dead with multiple gunshots to the body.
According to a report from the Quezon City Police District, Cortez had just left his residence when he was waylaid.
Bystanders said the assailants fled toward Commonwealth Avenue after the attack.
Police said they recovered eight bullet casings and two empty shells of unknown firearms at the scene.
A 9mm pistol was found beside De la Cruz’s body.
Investigators said they have yet to determine the suspects’ identities and the motive for the killing.
Last April, Cortez drew criticism amid allegations that he and other NCMH officials were covering up the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the hospital.
He denied a hospital executive’s accusation that the Mandaluyong-based facility was hiding COVID-19 cases, saying they submitted reports to the Department of Health (DOH) regularly.
The NCMH recorded 67 cases of COVID-19 among its personnel and patients with seven deaths. Forty-six have recovered while 14 others are still battling the virus.
DOH condemns killing
The DOH condemned the killing of Cortez, with officials expressing their condolences to his family.
“The DOH denounces violent acts committed against healthcare workers, especially during these difficult times,” the DOH said.
Cortez served as director of the East Avenue Medical Center before he was appointed head of the NMCH in October 2018.
In July last year, Cortez filed charges of graft and malversation against a top official of the NCMH for allegedly allowing a company to monopolize hospital projects, including the extension of a pavilion for at least P80 million.
Sen. Richard Gordon also condemned the assassination of Cortez.
Gordon called on authorities to immediately solve the case.
“Killing doctors and other frontliners would weaken our fight against COVID-19,” he said.
Calls for help
Cortez was interviewed by The STAR on June 21 for its anniversary issue, which was published yesterday.
In an excerpt from the online version of the article, Cortez discussed mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the number of calls received by the NCMH crisis hotline had doubled since the enhanced community quarantine was enforced in March.
This prompted the hospital to increase their hotline numbers from two to six.
“Because of the uncertainty of the future, many people are calling us for help because they are bothered with what is happening now. They have depression and anxiety due to COVID-19,” Cortez told The STAR.
Data from the NCMH showed that from March to May, the crisis hotline received up to 35 calls per day and 953 calls monthly.
From March 17 to May 31, a total of 2,298 calls were received and these mostly involved health and financial concerns as the end of the pandemic is nowhere in sight.
According to Cortez, the callers were worried that they and their families would contract the virus.
“Even a slight fever and cough caused them to panic, thinking that they were already infected,” he said.