2 cops arrested for indiscriminate firing

Two policemen were arrested in separate incidents yesterday for indiscriminately firing their weapons.

In Manila, a police station commander had to physically subdue one of his men who repeatedly fired shots into the air during a drunken stupor in Pandacan.

Pandacan police station chief Superintendent Abad Osit rushed to Labores Extension in Pandacan upon hearing reports on the radio that Police Officer 2 Solomon Abesamis, 36, had refused to surrender despite the presence of several policemen outside his house.

With Special Weapons and Tactics personnel backing him up, Osit entered Abesamis’ house and tried to persuade him to surrender peacefully. When Osit sensed that Abesamis was keen on resisting arrest, he wrestled with the policeman and subdued him. Osit also disarmed Abesamis of his .9mm caliber Beretta.

At the police headquarters, Abesamis – who had sobered up – expressed remorse, saying that he and his wife had a quarrel while he was drunk, and this triggered his indiscriminate firing.

Two neighbors of Abesamis filed charges against him, while Osit filed administrative and criminal charges.

Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales commended Osit.

“This policeman, who could not hold his temper while under the influence of liquor, should not stay long in the service,” Rosales said.

In Caloocan, a police community precinct (PCP) commander was charged with serious threats, alarm and scandal for firing shots into the air during a confrontation with his neighbor.

Complainant Aida Quingquing, 32, a resident of Pangarap Village, said she was in her kitchen Sunday night when a drunken Sta. Maria accused her of telling barangay officials about his alleged staging of illegal cockfights in their area.

Quingquing said she did not dare go out of her house. Sta. Maria left after firing six rounds into the air. Quingquing told police this was the second time that Sta. Maria had threatened her.