Fil-Am LAPD officer dies of COVID-19

A veteran Filipino American police officer in Los Angeles is among the latest victims taken by the coronavirus pandemic.

Los Angeles Police Department Officer Philip Sudario died of complications from COVID-19, Chief Michael Moore announced on Monday, January 25.

Sudario served the city for 25 years, and was most recently assigned to the Southeast Community Police Station.

He is survived by his wife, two adult sons and a teenage daughter.

“Tragically just before we started today I learned we lost our 6th member, Southeast Patrol officer Philip Sudario,” Moore told reporters Monday. “Phil leaves a wife Jonna, two adult sons, Joshua and Jacob, and a daughter Cecilia who turns 16 next week.”

Tributes have poured in for Sudario, including one from his cousin A.J. Calomay who shared memories of family parties and learning about music and culture from him.

“I’ll always remember how much Phil, his brother Jun and sister Paulita made me laugh with their wisecracks and feel like I had older kuyas and an ate who would have our backs,” Calomay wrote in a Facebook post.

A GoFundMe page has been created to help the family during this time, raising raised over $33,000 as of this writing.

“Phil was a Warrior in our profession but had a heart of gold,” the page said.

Sudario is the fourth LAPD officer and the sixth department employee to succumb to the virus. Another Fil-Am, 24-year police service representative veteran Raymond Guerrero, who was also Fil-Am, died of COVID-19 earlier this month.  (AJPress)

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