Mayor’s son charged for girlfriend’s slay

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Charges have been filed against a policeman-son of a municipal mayor of Iloilo for the death of his girlfriend and a dog.

Senior Police Officer I Nerio Salcedo III, a son of Sara town Mayor Neptali Salcedo, was charged with homicide and violation of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 before the office of the provincial prosecutor Friday.

Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas said Salcedo was charged for the death of his girlfriend Aiko Sandoval, who died of a gunshot wound in the face, last Jan. 10.

The police officer claimed Sandoval’s death was accidental, as the gun, a Glock 19 pistol, fell to the floor and went off.

Earlier, medicol-legal officer Superintendent Owen Lebaquin said the autopsy result might not support with Salcedo’s statement.

Authorities said the trajectory of the bullet did not back Salcedo’s claim of accidental firing.

Before agreeing to undergo a paraffin test, Salcedo claimed he had shot a dog the night before his girlfriend was killed.

Last September, Salcedo figured in the shooting and wounding of a mentally ill man in front of a church in Sara town.

Salcedo was recommended to be put on AWOL (absence without official leave) status since he has not reported for work for quite some time.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Louis Garong, chief of the Regional Headquarters Support Group and Salcedo’s superior, said his office sent a return-to-work order to the police officer.

“We have sent two notices. It will take three notices before we could issue an administrative sanction on him,” Garong said.

Salcedo’s lawyer received the notices on his behalf.