Zambo Norte police director succumbs to cardiac arrest

COTABATO CITY --- The provincial police director of Zamboanga del Norte died before dawn Wednesday, just hours after subordinates rushed him to a hospital for dizziness, chest pain and headache.

Col. Rodrigo Omega Maramo died at 1:55 a.m. Wednesday in a hospital in Dipolog City, according to a statement from the Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Police Office.

The statement was supported with a medical abstract that says Maramo died from cardiac arrest triggered by hypertension.

Maramo was police director of Basilan province in the Bangsamoro region before he got to the helm of the Zamboanga del Norte provincial police force.

Brig. Gen. Arthur Cabalona, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Wednesday they are mourning the demise of Maramo.

Maramo became popular for his peace initiatives in Basilan in support of the security programs of the office of Gov. Jim Salliman, the Army’s 101^st Infantry Brigade and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.