CEBU CITY -- Commendations await a nursing student here for her ‘heroic act’ of saving a woman whose neck was slit by her live-in partner along a sidewalk last Monday, Jan. 30.
City Councilor Rey Gealon has filed a resolution that seeks to commend Angyl Faith Ababat, a 21-year-old nursing student of the University of Cebu (UC)-Banilad Campus.
Ababat was the nursing student who was captured by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) rushing to the aid of the bleeding Bernadeta Zamora, 54, along Plaridel Street.
Police investigation showed that Zamora was selling mangoes when she was grabbed by her live-in partner, Edwin Salazar.
The man slashed the woman’s neck and fled. The suspect was eventually arrested.
Police said jealousy was the motive of the attack.
Ababat, a native of Baybay City, Leyte, and other nursing students happened to be in the area to buy school materials when the incident happened.
The second-year nursing student said there were other people in the area but no one helped the bleeding woman.
“At first I was hesitant since there were a lot of other pre-med and med students there so I was hoping they would be the ones to help first. But no one responded and ‘Nanay’ was about to collapse. I thought ‘if no one will help, who will?’, that’s why I decided to respond,” said Ababat.
Ababat thanked her clinical instructors for teaching her the basics in wound care that she applied in helping Zamora.
Ababat said she didn’t expect that what she did would attract much attention.
“Such a heroic act by Ms. Ababat is worthy of emulation and praise as it restores Cebuanos’ faith in humanity. This kind of deed and genuity that Ms. Ababat showed to the female vendor is, indeed, commendable,” said Gealon in his resolution.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) also planned to commend Ababat during its traditional Monday flag ceremony next week.
“She didn’t hesitate to help. She showed courage. She showed that she is a kind person,” said Col. Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of CCPO.