THE head of the National Center for Mental Health and his driver were shot dead in their car by still unidentified suspects in Quezon City yesterday morning.
The Quezon City Police District identified the fatalities as Dr. Roland Cortez, 61, of Tandang Sora, Quezon City, chief of the NCMH in Mandaluyong City; and his driver, Ernesto Dela Cruz, 46. They were attacked at around 7 a.m. at Cassanova Drive corner Tandang Sora Ave., the QCPD said.
Cortez has been with the Department of Health, which has jurisdiction over the NCMH, for over 30 years and has been assigned to various DOH-retained hospitals. He was named to head the NCMH in October 2018.
Police said a witness saw two persons alighted from their motorcycle and proceeded to the right side of the victims’ vehicle, a red Toyota Vios. One of the assailants knocked on the car window and fired successive shots once it was opened. The victims sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of the body.
The suspects fled towards Commonwealth Ave. aboard their motorcycle.
