Be-medaled cop wounded by own gun

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman, who had been awarded several times for his dedication to service, was wounded by his own service firearm while he was responding to an alarm early morning of Christmas day in Barangay Bolinawan, Carcar City.

SPO1 Meliton Agadier, assigned in Carcar City Police Station, was hit in the left arm when his .45 caliber pistol service firearm suddenly went off when he was about to arrest Herbert Camotes, who allegedly went berserk and threatened residents with a gun. 

Felix Generale and Dexter Garces have asked assistance from Carcar City police after Camotes allegedly pointed his unknown caliber of firearm at them.

While Agadier and his colleagues are approaching the suspect, the latter allegedly pointed his firearm at the police officers prompting Agadier to pull out his firearm. But before Agadier could aim his gun at the suspect, it allegedly accidentally went off and hit the policeman’s left arm.

Agadier was then rushed by his colleagues to the hospital giving the suspect the chance to run away and elude arrest.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Sr. Supt. Jesus Gaquing said that he already ordered Supt. Teofilo Siclot, Carcar police chief, to investigate the incident and arrest Camotes.

He also directed Siclot to check the background of the suspect to determine if he is involved in illegal activities.

Agadier had received awards for the two arrests he made in Cebu City while he was off-duty and for killing one of the perpetrators of a bank robbery in Carcar City last year.

In October 2006, he received a medal and P20,000 cash from the Cebu City Government for killing one of the two men who robbed a passenger jeepney along M.J. Cuenco Avenue.

He was given commendation when he responded and arrested a suspected snatcher in Barangay Mambaling, also in Cebu City, in 2003.

Last year, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who is also the chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council, gave Agadier the Governor’s Citation for killing one of the robbery suspects who took hostage of an employee of the Rural Bank of Cebu South in Carcar in April 2008.

Due to his accomplishments, Mayor Tomas Osmeña has expressed admiration on Agadier and even promised him a promotion if he agrees to transfer to the Cebu City police. —Gabriel C. Bonjoc/WAB    (FREEMAN NEWS)