Cop shot suspected thief in gun scuffle

A policeman accidentally shot a suspected thief inside the Tabunok public market in Talisay City yesterday morning when the latter had a scuffle for possession of the policeman's service firearm.

Shortly after the incident, SPO1 Florante Gesto surrendered to the Talisay Police station while the suspect, identified as Jolito "Tatoy" Alisoso, is now in serious condition at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center due to a gunshot wound in his neck.

Inspector Ricardo Nayne, of the city police, said Gesto has been detailed at the Tabunok market and he is now under investigation for the incident.

Nayne said Alisoso has been known in the area as a "rugby boy" and is allegedly a robbery gang leader with a record of arrest for thievery.

Last week, a certain Zalde parked his car and went inside the market to buy something. A while later, a wheel of his car was stolen, and people there suspected it was Alisoso who took it.

Gesto yesterday confronted Alisoso to return the stolen wheel, adding that he had no other suspect than the latter.

But instead of answering the policeman, Alisoso suddenly tried to grab Gesto's gun resulting in a scuffle for gun possession between the two.

While the two struggled, a shot suddenly rang out and the next moment, Alisoso was already bloodied with a gunshot wound on his neck. - Flor Z. Perolina