Cop denies firing gun while off duty

CEBU, Philippines - The policeman who was accused of firing his gun and mauling two men during a rumble in Barangay Guadalupe has returned to work and is set to face the police officers investigating his case.

The Cebu City Police Office has been waiting for PO1 Daniel Masecampo to get his side on accusations that he was one of those who mauled Joshua Jacalan and Samuel Quijada, fired his gun into the air five times and poked Jacalan’s face with the firearm.

Sr. Insp. Zaldy Gokotano, chief of Parian Police Station, submitted a progress report to the CCPO headquarters yesterday to inform City Police Director Patricio Comendador that Masecampo has already reported for duty.

Masecampo will have a dialogue today with investigators of the Guadalupe Police regarding the incident. The incident allegedly happened at Tejada compound in Barangay Guadalupe dawn Thursday.

From his end, Masecampo said it was not him, but his relative, Voltaire Daguman, 29, who allegedly fired the gun, which the latter got from the house of their aunt, Elena Sagadal who was having a farewell party at that time. Sagadal is reportedly set to leave for London.

Masecampo said the complainants and a female companion arrived at 9pm to join the party. The three are reportedly members of Alpha Kappa Rho.

At about 1:30 am, Randy Buenas, 28, also a relative of Masecampo, claimed his pair of Adidas shoes that he left outside the house was stolen. Suspecting Jacalan and Quijada, Buenas confronted the two, which resulted into a rumble.

Jacalan, Quijada and their female companion subsequently left, but the complainants allegedly returned a few minutes later and started throwing stones, hitting the house, a car, and one of the visitors.

This reportedly prompted Daguman to take the gun from the house and fire it into the air to scare the complainants off.

Masecampo said he also advised his relatives to leave to avoid further trouble, while he accompanied Daguman to the latter’s residence in Consolacion.

Comendador already tasked the City Investigation and Detective Management Branch and the Guadalupe police to investigate the incident. (THE FREEMAN)