Senior Inspector Fredie Solar is one of the casualties in the ongoing clashes in Marawi City. He was shot dead by members of the terrorist Maute group when they learned that he was a police officer.
Solar’s older sister Susan Solar-Urbano wrote a heartbreaking post narrating how her brother “died defending the people that he has come to protect.”
Urbano described her brother as “a young man with a dream. He dreamed to be successful. He dreamed to uplift his family from the hard life that we experience.”
She recalled how they had a difficult life growing up as their father struggled to make ends meet. His brother used the hardships as motivation to achieve his goals in life.
Through hard work, Solar eventually graduated from Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Cavite in 2007.
“After graduation, he was assigned in Mindanao. For numerous times, we have pleaded for him to come back in Baguio. We have asked him to apply for re-assignment at any other place in the Philippines except Mindanao,” wrote Urbano.
It was patriotism which drove Solar to stay in Mindanao. Saying that he is safe there, he ignored his family’s request to work for his re-assignment.
“He said, the people there respect him and this was enough for him to stay. He has come to love the people of Marawi,” wrote her sister.
On Tuesday, Solar was shot several times by the terrorist Maute group. He was the intelligence unit chief of the Marawi City Police.
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “He happened to be in front of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center on board a police Mahindra car when gunmen took him hostage. His captors later shot him dead.”
“We lost a humble, kind-hearted, determined brother who we dearly love, all for the sake of the country,” said his sister. “This is really heartbreaking for all of us. My tears just keep on flowing and it just wouldn’t stop since last night.”
“My brother may not have attained his goal to be a guest speaker at his alma mater but one thing is for sure, we know that his alma mater is proud of him, and we will always be proud of him!” she added.
Solar left behind his wife and two young children. He was planning to enroll at the Notre Dame University College of Law and eventually serve his colleagues.
His remains were brought to Iligan City and will soon be sent home to Baguio City.
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