Retired cop "shoots self" amidst worries on benefits

CEBU, Philippines - A newly retired policeman is in critical condition after he reportedly shot himself on the head yesterday morning.

SPO4 Joselito Palang, 56, was found inside the store of his brother along Sikatuna Street in Barangay Day-as soaked in his own blood. A gunshot wound was found on his right temple, but authorities said no exit wound was visible, thus, it is possible that the bullet is still embedded in his head.

Palang’s six-year-old grandson said he was playing outside the store when he heard a burst of gunfire around 9:45 am. He rushed inside the store and found his grandfather slumped on the floor bleeding. The boy told his parents what he saw and they rushed Palang to Chong Hua Hospital. 

Responding policemen recovered a.38 revolver from the store, which is owned by Palang’s younger brother Rogelio.

Palang’s family could not think of concrete reasons behind the shooting, only that Palang has reportedly been depressed the past days because he has not yet received his retirement benefits.

Palang, a widow, retired from service only last October.

Still, Geronimo said they would not establish the incident as suicide until further evidence warrants. No one saw what happened and even Rogelio reportedly could not believe his brother wanted to kill himself.

Geronimo said they received reports that prior to the shooting, Palang was looking for a nylon string that he could use allegedly to hang himself, however, Rogelio refuted the information. He said his brother was only looking for a line where he could hang his underwear after taking a bath.

He described his elder brother as silent type of person with no known enemy and is, in fact, loved by their neighbors.

The gun recovered from the crime scene was submitted to the PNP Crime Laboratory-7 for gun powder residue (GPR) examination. SPO1 Jay Yballe of the Homicide Section said if the gun contained GPR, the same would prove that it was fired.

Geronimo said they will also check if the gun was government-issued or Palang’s personal property. Considering that Palang has already retired from the service, his service firearm could have been handed over back to the organization.

In a report over GMA-7’s Balitang Bisdak, Chief Insp. Andres Bayarcal, chief of the police station where Palang was assigned, said Palang might have also been worrying about his ailment. Palang reportedly suffered from a mild stroke last December.

Palang’s colleagues at the police station described him to be “silent, calm, and kind.”

For his part, Supt. Pablo Labra II, Deputy Director for Administration of CCPO believed Palang might have had a deeper reason why he tried to take his life. Personally, he said, not receiving one’s benefits is not enough reason for a policeman to kill himself.

Still, Labra said the incident is alarming considering that another policeman from CCPO also committed suicide this year.

He said policemen who experience depression related to their job can always approach their senior officers so they can air their grievances and be given assistance.

“Naa mi diri sa Admin branch a grievance committee or Counsel of Elders which is organized with the intention of hearing the grievances sa mga tawo,” Labra said.

Labra added that it is high time that the PNP come up with activities that would allow the senior officials to interact with their men.

As of yesterday, attending physicians at the Chong Hua Hospital were continuing to revive Palang. — (FREEMAN)