Policeman hurt in accidental firing

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman was injured after he was hit by his own gun after it accidentally went off in Barangay Mambaling last Monday night.

Police Officer 2 Dennis Mosqueda and other personnel of the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office were about to leave the area after conducting a saturation drive when the accident happened.

CCPO director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said Mosqueda was preparing to leave the area when his service a firearm, a .45 cal. pistol, went off where it was holstered at his waist.

This allegedly happened when he brushed against a parked motorcycle.

Mosqueda was hit in his left leg.

The policeman was rushed to the Chong Hua Hospital where he is now being treated.

Buenafe said policemen should always be alert in every operation to avoid such incidents, although he said the incident involving Mosqueda can be categorized as purely accidental.

“You should always be alert to all those kind of situations. Dapat handa ka talaga, pero sa nangyari accidental ‘yun eh,” he said.

The CCPO director further said that they will still conduct an investigation into the incident to determine whether or not Mosqueda’s firearm was defective.

“We will also investigate on the probable liability, to learn lessons from the incident, because it might be the firearm is defective. We will do this to inquire what really happened,” Buenafe added.

Buenafe said the CCPO will also extend assistance to their colleague especially for his hospital bills.

Mosqueda was with a team of CIB personnel led by its chief, Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, conducting a saturation drive in the area against illegal gambling as per directive of Police Regional Office director Marcelo Garbo Jr.

The said operation yielded 16 video karera machines.  No one was arrested.

That operation was conducted simultaneously with another operation in Barangay Ermita that also led to the recovery of 12 of the said machines.

Earlier this month, a security guard hurt himself after his defective service firearm also suddenly went off while he was about to sit, the bullet went through his knee.

In another incident, two minors and a former convict who were accused of robbery were wounded after they were shot by two unidentified assailants early morning yesterday in Sitio Mananga 2, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.

Roy “Siroy” Romarez, 22, and the 13-year-old, are of the said barangay while the 15-year-old is from Barangay Lawaan 3.

Romarez suffered gunshot wounds to his hips, the 13-year-old was shot in his shoulder while the 15-year-old was hit in the back.

The victims were rushed to the Minglanilla Emergency Hospital.  Later the 15-year-old was referred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City due to his condition.

Police said that the victims were just walking along the road when the assailants suddenly arrived on board a motorcycle and shot at them.

Investigation conducted by SPO1s Edgar Causon and Benjamin Sabellita revealed that the 15-year-old was accused of a certain robbing Jose Baylosis Jr., of Barangay Pardo, Cebu City, Monday evening.

Police also found out that Romarez was once jailed for robbery and theft.  He was just recently released from the Talisay City Jail.

The 13-year-old was also accused of burglarizing a hardware store in Barangay Tabunok. 

Police theorize that personal grudge could be the motive behind the shooting, a follow-up operation is now being conducted.  –(FREEMAN)