Cop accused of pointing gun at neighbor

CEBU, Philippines - An alleged drunk police officer assigned at the regional headquarters is in hot water after his neighbor accused him of gun pointing, indiscriminate firing and striking the windshield and side window of a multicab past 2 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Cadulawan, Minglanilla town.

Police Officer 3 Louie Alalim, who works at the Regional Headquarters Support Group (RHSG) based in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. in Cebu City, is now a subject of a hot pursuit operation because he reportedly fled after the alleged incident.

His neighbor, Lyndon Caparida, 43, asked for police assistance after the confrontation with the drunken police officer.

In a phone interview, Chief Inspector Franco Rodolf Oriol, Minglanilla Police Station chief, told The FREEMAN that he sent his men to verify the report, especially upon knowing that the person being complained is a member of the police.

He said Caparida just arrived from the airport to fetch his live-in partner when the incident happened. Upon arrival from the airport, Alalim who was allegedly drunk went to his house and confronted him.

Alalim allegedly pointed a gun at him and fired his weapon four times in the air while he was watching.

Not contented, Alalim allegedly struck the handle of his firearm on the windshield and side window of Caparida’s multicab before he went away on foot.

Shortly after Alalim left, Caparida called for police assistance and when the police arrived, they recovered an empty shell of a caliber 9mm ammunition from the scene.

Oriol said some of his men stayed at the victim’s residence until 6 a.m. while some of them, along with the barangay tanods of Cadulawan, went to locate the police officer.

They failed to locate Alalim.

Oriol said the incident was very unfortunate, especially that Police Regional Office-7 headquarters initiated the firearm muzzle-taping activity on Monday.

The FREEMAN learned that Alalim failed to report for work yesterday.    

Separately, PRO-7 will make an investigation into the complaint.

According to Superintendent Renato Dugan, Personnel and Human Resources and Development Division chief of PRO-7, said they will verify the report.

He said whatever will be the result of their investigation, appropriate actions will then be taken.

“Kung unsa’y angay ipahamtang niya, then we’ll do that,” he said.

Dugan said if the complaint will be proven after the investigation, then Alalim might face suspension being the least form of punishment.

However, he said based on the complaint, what Alalim allegedly did could be categorized under grave offense.

“Kay atong basehan, hubog na siya, aggravating, unya according sa report, nanion pa gyud so mura’g dili  basta-basta na nga problema or kaso iyang giatubang karon if ever tinuod man gani na, according to the spot report nga atong nabasa,” said Dugan.

He said if ever the complainant will appear before their office, then Alalim will automatically face an administrative case within the PNP organization and a criminal case which will come from the complainant.

Dugan said he personally knows Alalim who used to be the driver of the previous regional directors in the regional headquarters.

He also said he has not heard of any derogatory records or previous cases against the policeman.

However, Dugan said Alalim will really have to face investigation as the newly installed director of PRO-7, Chief Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, has told his men that he will not hesitate to implement the law even on his fellow policemen. —(FREEMAN)