During argument while drinking Cop 'shoots' neighbor dead

CEBU, Philippines - Too much alcohol can kill.

It is not always the one who drank the liquor that dies, as in this case it is the neighbor of a policeman, who was allegedly drunk, shot him in Tabok, Mandaue City late yesterday afternoon.

The suspect was identified as PO2 Rosendo Cabrera, who is assigned with the City Public Safety Company of the Mandaue City Police Office.

   The victim was 42-year-old Remegio Iran, who figured in an argument with the policeman prior to the shooting.

A four-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet.

Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, head of the Investigation and Detective Management branch of MCPO, which is now in custody of the suspect, said that Cabrera was drunk.

Bastes said that the suspect along with the victim and two other neighbors were having drinks after they helped in cementing the pathway to the policeman’s house.

The two neighbors left Cabrera and Iran around 4 p.m. as they went home.

Shortly after they were left, the policeman and the victim had an argument.

Cabrera is 47 years old and has been a policeman for about 20 years. He was off duty when the incident happened.

“Gi-bugalbugalan daw siya sa biktima,” Bastes told The FREEMAN, referring to the suspect.

At the height of their argument, Bastes said the policeman shot the victim six times, emptying the magazine of his caliber .45 service pistol.

Six empty shells were recovered from the crime scene.

It has yet to be established how many gunshot wounds the victim has sustained, although gunshot wounds were found on his head and chest, Bastes said.

The body of the victim will be subjected to an autopsy.

The victim, who worked as a driver of a doctor, died on the spot.

The four-year-old boy, who was standing at the vicinity, sustained a graze wound on his heel and was taken to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for treatment.

He was not seriously injured, Bastes said

The IDMB chief said they arrested the suspect, who was walking in Barangay Mantuyong reportedly on his way to surrender to Centro Police Station.

The IDMB team also confiscated the firearm from the suspect. He was submitted to a liquor test before he was detained at the IDMB detention cell.

Bastes said they went to the PNP Crime Laboratory in Cebu City last night and submitted Cabrera to a paraffin test and the firearm to a ballistic test.

PO1 Matt Roco of the IDMB said they learned that the suspect and the victim already had previous grudges at each other.

A possible case of murder will be filed against Cabrera today, Bastes said. — /NLQ (FREEMAN)