CEBU, Philippines - Two days after Police Regional Office-7 Director Chief Supt. Prudencio Tom Bañas appealed to policemen not to do more harm to the image of the police, another policeman is in trouble, this time for shooting a civilian.
Police Officer 2 Celso Colita, 30, of Guadalupe Police Station, is now currently detained in the Punta Princesa Police Station after he surrendered himself to the responding barangay tanods after shooting Ric Jun Macani, 28, thrice using a homemade revolver the other night in Sitio Sto. Niño, Barangay Labangon.
Macani, of Katipunan Street, Barangay Labangon, suffered gunshot wounds in his right hand and neck after he was shot thrice by the suspect.
PO2 Erwin Usares said that the alarm was received by the police station at 7:30 p.m. Saturday but by the suspect was already under the custody of Barangay Labangon tanods.
PO1 Reuful Adalim of the Homicide Section of Cebu City Police Office said that the victim told him that before the incident happened, he left his house and went outside to buy something.
Adalim added that the victim met the suspect along A. Lopez Street riding a motorcycle. He said the suspect appeared to be drunk and fired shots at the victim thrice times using a homemade .38 cal. revolver.
The first shot hit the victim’s right hand, the second shot missed, but the third one hit him in the right side of his neck and the bullet hit just below his lower jaw and lodged in the left cheek.
Despite his wounds, Macani said he managed to run and took a taxi cab towards a private hospital but was later transferred to Cebu City Medical Center.
The suspect surrendered to the barangay tanods and later on to the alert team of the Punta Princesa police together with personnel of the Mobile Patrol Group.
The responding police officers brought the suspect to the Punta Princesa Police Station.
Police recovered a homemade snub-nosed .38 cal. revolver from the suspect with two live rounds and three empty shells inside the cylinder.
His service firearm, a Glock 9mm pistol, was recovered inside his sling bag loaded with eight live rounds.
Adalim added that when they interviewed the family of the suspect they told them that the victim was suspected to have touched the private parts of the suspect’s sister.
“Ana ang pamilya nga gidudahan ‘ning biktima nga nanghinol sa igsuon nga babaye,” Adalim said.
The suspect alleged that he was heading towards his father’s house when he met the victim along A. Lopez Street and noticed that the victim was acting suspiciously and trying to approach him.
“Padulong daw ni siya sa balay sa iyang amahan unya nasugatan niya ang suspek unya tan-aw niya suspicious kaayo ang lihok, miaksyon man og duol niya mao to nga na-rattle siya napusilan niya ang biktima,” Adalim said.
The FREEMAN was able to contact the suspect but he declined to comment. He will be facing chargers for frustrated homicide. (FREEMAN)