18 cops hurt after being hit by lightning in Cebu

Eighteen policemen undergoing anti-insurgency training were hurt after being hit by lightning in Cebu province Tuesday noon, a police official said. Five of the injured were in serious condition, according to Chief Superintendent Lani-o Nerez, regional director of Central Visayas Police. “Katatapos lang nila kumain ng lunch, pupunta sila sa isang lugar nang kumidlat. Yung buong section naapektuhan, medyo nahirapan kase pagkatapos ng kidlat umulan ng malakas," Nerez said. (The group had just finished with their lunch. They were on their way to some place when they were hit by the lightning. The whole section was affected. The heavy rain made the situation even worse.) Nerez said those who were not seriously injured experienced numbness in their lower extremities. The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. at Sitio Kamansile, Barangay Lamakan in Sibonga, Cebu. A report in radio dzBB said the victims were members of the Philippine National Police Regional-Public Safety Battalion (PNP-RPSB) who are on a five-day skills training in the province. The activity was part of a 45-day counter-insurgency training, Senior Superintendent Rey Lindon Lawas, chief of the PNP-RPSB, was quoted as saying in the dzBB report. Those seriously hurt in the incident were brought to South General Hospital in Naga City. — Mark Dalan Merueñas/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV