Policeman posts bail

CEBU, Philippines - A police officer who shot a drunk man has posted bail.

PO2 Rodel Abejuela would be able to spend his New Year with his family after he posted P40,000 for his temporary liberty.

Abejuela, 27, a resident of Block 16, lot 32, Phase 1 Villa Leyson, Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City was accused of killing Jose Ligario on December 23, 2011 at about 9:00 p.m. at Villa Leyson.

Prosecutor Ruso Zaragosa elevated the homicide case to the court after the accused opted not to undergo preliminary investigation.

In the affidavit executed by Thelma Omboy, 49, a resident of same barangay, she said she was chased by Ligario, who was reportedly drunk, without any apparent reason. Ligario was armed with a bladed weapon.

Omboy said she asked for help and the Talamban police responded to the area.

She added that Abejuela hurriedly disembarked from the patrol car and confronted Ligario.

“I saw Ligario stabbed the police officer, whom I knew later as PO2 Abejuela, with several tries but was not able to hit and at this juncture I saw Abejuela sensing that his life was in danger, for self defense shoot Ligario with the use of his service firearm,” the affidavit reads.

Omboy said the accused shot the victim to protect himself.

In the joint affidavit executed by SPO4 Jeffrey Archival and PO2 Joje Magdadaro of the Talamban Police Station, they narrated that they were on duty and responded to the incident. They said they went to the area with Abejuela and spotted the drunk Ligario chasing the woman whom they later knew as Omboy.

They added Omboy asked for help and when Ligario kept on following the latter, Abejuela went out of the patrol car. Abejuela introduced himself as a police officer and ordered Ligario to stop and put down the bladed weapon. However, Ligario ignored the order and instead came forward and attacked the police with his bladed weapon.

“Due to the swiftness of events, I affiant, Archival unable to get out from the police car, while I affiant Magdadaro was about to get out, when we saw Abejuela fired his service firearm at such drunk person who kept on advancing while thrusting the bladed weapon against Abejuela,” the police stated in their joint affidavit.

After the incident, the police officers contacted their supervisor Police Inspector Elisandro Quijano and requested for medical assistance.

However, when the rescue team from the ERUF arrived, the victim was already dead. Abejuela voluntarily surrendered to Quijano. – (FREEMAN)