Cop dies after accidentally shooting himself

CEBU, Philippines —  Authorities are now probing the incident of a policeman killed by his own service firearm in Carcar City on Sunday, January 29.

Carcar City Police chief, Lt. Col. Ardioleto Cabagnot, said the investigation regarding what happened is now rolling.

The fatality was identified as Patrolman Efren Villarias Delos Reyes, Jr., who was assigned to the Talisay City Police Station.

Initial investigation revealed that Delos Reyes was inside his residence, particularly in the guest room, in Sitio Lagang, Barangay Bolinawan, at around 1 p.m. on Sunday when the incident happened.

His wife, Jocelyn, narrated that while she was in the living room, she heard a burst of gunfire in the guest room and rushed to check on her husband.

Then, she saw her husband wounded in his stomach and immediately called for help to send him to the hospital.

The Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City, where he was brought to, then alerted the police of what happened and later told them that Delos Reyes succumbed to death hours later due to the severity of his wound.

In a statement, the Talisay City Police Station mourns Delos Reyes's death.

"You shall be remembered for all the good you did. May your soul rest in peace," their statement reads.

Cabagnot said they recovered Delos Reyes' service firearm, a 9 mm pistol.

He added that they would determine other possibilities of the tragic incident as part of their ongoing investigation.

For its part, the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) said an automatic investigation to determine the cause of the cop's death would also be launched by the Regional Inter-Affairs Service (RIAS).

The RIAS would determine if there were any foul plays or if the incident was merely an accident and would acquire all the details gathered by the Carcar City Police to shed light on what happened.

They stated that they would ask for the approval of the victim's family to set up an autopsy examination of Delos Reyes' body.

PRO-7 director, Police Brigadier General Jerry Fornaleza Bearis, said they would provide financial assistance to the victim's bereaved family for his burial and other expenses.

The police regional unit reminded its personnel and gun owners to prioritize safety while handling their firearms. — GMR (FREEMAN)