Hospital denies negligence in shooting victim’s death

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — The Cauayan District Hospital in southern Negros Occidental denied allegations of negligence in the death of Erwin Flores, 30, who died of multiple gunshot wounds on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.

In a statement issued Jan. 2, the hospital said adequate medical care, oxygen supply and emergency protocols were in place throughout Flores’ treatment.

The hospital said Flores was immediately attended to after he was rushed to the emergency room shortly after midnight Jan. 1.

Emergency physicians promptly assessed his condition, initiated oxygen therapy and informed his partner of the severity of his injuries, which included massive blood loss and respiratory distress due to trauma, the hospital said.

“The patient’s critical condition was due to the severity of his gunshot wounds and not because of any shortage of medical supplies,” the hospital said.

“Adequate oxygen was available, and an ambulance was on standby should the family opt for transfer to another facility,” it added.

The hospital said medical personnel immediately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation when Flores went into cardiac arrest, but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

It said all procedures were properly documented and complied with national emergency medicine guidelines, and urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified claims that could unfairly harm hospital staff.

The statement came amid concerns raised by Flores’ family on social media alleging lapses in emergency care.

Flores’ wife, Trisha Bargamento, claimed hospital personnel told the family there was no oxygen available and that transferring her husband to a better-equipped facility was not possible due to the lack of an ambulance.

“He was still fighting,” Bargamento said.

“But they told us there was no oxygen left and that there was nothing more they could do. We want answers — why we were told that, and why they wouldn’t help us transfer him,” she said.

The shooting stemmed from a confrontation in Purok 7, Barangay Isio, Cauayan town, during New Year’s celebrations.

Family members said Flores was watching motorcycles with loud exhausts when a firecracker allegedly thrown by a youth hit the foot of his young nephew, causing injury.

Flores confronted the youth, whom relatives identified as Keyer Agustin, 33, the son of the barangay captain.

Relatives said the youth fled but later returned wielding a baseball bat and attacked Flores and two of his relatives.

Police said Agustin later arrived at the scene, where a heated argument with Flores escalated into gunfire.

A struggle over the firearm, reportedly registered to Agustin’s father, followed until Flores’ brother intervened and separated the two men, police said.

Both Flores and Agustin were taken to Cauayan District Hospital for treatment, where Flores later died.

The family said it plans to file criminal charges against Agustin and has requested an independent investigation by the Department of Health and local authorities into the hospital’s handling of the case.