Policeman hurt in accidental shooting

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman landed in the hospital after he was accidentally shot by a fellow policeman inside their office in Toledo City last Friday afternoon.

PO2 Marciano Suarez, Jr. was wounded in the left forearm after he was hit with the bullet accidentally fired by Police Officer 1 Careby Clyde Alinsug, who is undergoing the Field Training Program.

The incident happened inside the Provincial Public Safety Company in Barangay Don Andres Soriano at past 4 p.m. last Friday.

PO1 Jamesrie Navarro, a fellow officer undergoing FTP, narrated during the investigation that Alinsug was cleaning his service firearm, a caliber .45 pistol, when it suddenly went off.

The slug of the firearm hit the concrete floor and ricocheted to the left upper forearm of PO2 Suarez who was standing inside the office.

Suarez, who is assigned at Pinamungajan Police Station, was detailed in the area for the expanded night watch.  The victim was taken to the Carmen Copper Corporation Hospital and was transferred to the South General Hospital in Naga City for further medication.

PO1 Alinsug, 23, was arrested and detained while appropriate charges are being prepared against him.

Meanwhile, a man died after he was shot repeatedly by two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle along Barangay Tuyan, Naga City at past 10 p.m. last Friday.

Police identified the victim as Erwin Barcenas, 46, allegedly a cousin of Carcar City Vice mayor Patrick Barcenas.

Barcenas was riding on a motorcycle driven by his neighbor Jonathan Sagalili, 42, bound from Naga City’s Barangay Inayagan to Carcar City when a motorcycle without plate numbers and with two men onboard attempted to overtake them.

As the said motorcycle came closer, the backrider reportedly shot Erwin five to six times. The victim told the driver that he was shot prompting Sagalili to suddenly stop.

However, Erwin fell on the pavement while Sagalili, who survived unscathed, called for assistance.

The victim was rushed to the Minglanilla District Hospital for possible medication but the attending physician, Doctor Mark Loel, declared him dead on arrival.

Police recovered five empty shells of a caliber 9mm, a deformed slug, a cellphone, cigarettes, and P350 cash from the crime scene.

Police remain clueless as to the motive behind the attack, which they are now further investigating. (FREEMAN)