Barangay intel man detained, freed

A member of the Barangay Intelligence Network of the City's Criminal Investigation and Intelligence has been detained overnight for alleged indiscriminate firing of his firearm last Friday afternoon.

But Rodrigo Rakal 45 of sitio Lawis Mambaling was released yesterday morning after the City Prosecutor's Office dismissed the case that has been filed against him.

The prosecutor ruled that there was no basis to detain Rakal because the .38 cal revolver that contained four bullets was not recovered from the possession of the suspect.

This was when the arresting officers PO1 Romeo Jumalon, PO1 Mardin Manano, PO1 Donald Jakosalem, and PO1 Nathaniel Lumacad admitted that the gun was recovered below a bench where Rakal was seated when they arrived in the area.

It was at about 3 o'clock last Friday afternoon that the SRP police rushed to Kawit Island to respond to an indiscriminate firing alarm.

Rakal, who is also a member of Bantay Dagat assigned at the area, claimed the shots were meant to warn a fisherman for fishing illegally.

But he was subjected to a liquor test at the Cebu City Medical Center because he was believed to have been under the influence of liquor at the time of the incident. - Ryan P. Borinaga