Cop accused of hitting vendor

A policeman earlier accused of extorting money for passage through the South Coastal Road is in trouble again after he was accused of indiscriminate firing and attacking a vendor yesterday midnight.

PO1 Rolito Estrobo, formerly with the South Reclamation Project security but now with the Mandaue police, reportedly pistol-whipped Faustino Villamor with a 9mm revolver at the Aduana entrance of the road following a heated argument.

It was Villamor who earlier executed an affidavit clearing Estrobo of any involvement in the reported extortion for passage through the road.

In the affidavit, Villamor said he was drunk when he charged motorists without passes fees to use the road using Estrobo's name.

Estrobo refused to be interviewed about the latest incident.

"Wala rato, mao ra man gihapon tong tawhana," he said before walking away.

Records at the Waterfront police station show that Capt. Marlon Gauiran, officer-in-charge of the Presidential Security Group detailed at the Malacañang sa Sugbo reported the incident to the police.

Gauiran said he saw Estrobo in a heated argument with Villamor before pulling out a gun and firing indiscriminately. The slug hit the galvanized iron sheet of Villamor's stall, it was later recovered.

Villamor's version of the story is similar to that of Gauiran, he said Estrobo came in a private vehicle with a companion and then confronted him. Then Estrobo pulled out a gun, fired in the air, then struck his back with the pistol before leaving.

Estrobo was ordered by Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch chief Paul Labra to report to his office since the incident happened within Labra's jurisdiction.

In a talk with Labra at noon yesterday, Estrobo claimed he went to confront Villamor because of rumors reportedly spread by the victim that Estrobo is the source of the fake SRP passes.

Villamor denied having anything to do with the rumor while Estrobo did not mention the indiscriminate firing and pistol-whipping acts blamed on him.

Since Estrobo is already with Mandaue City Police Office, Labra will endorse to Mandaue City for an administrative investigation on Estrobo.