Bacolod cop critical in Iloilo City shooting

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman assigned at the Police Station 5 in Bacolod City is in critical condition due to a gunshot wound on the head, on an incident inside his boarding house in Iloilo City that was either accidental firing or suicide.

Investigators are yet to rule foul play over what happened to PO1 Ruem Fortuna, 34, a resident of Brgy. Concepcion, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

Police accounts said a bullet pierced through Fortuna’s right temple and exited at the left upper portion of his head. He was scheduled for surgery at the St. Paul’s Hospital in Iloilo City.

Superintendent Kim Legada, chief of Iloilo City Police Station 1, said Fortuna went to Iloilo City last Friday to take the 3-day Criminology board examination, which started Saturday until Monday.

Fortuna was billeted at a boarding house at the City Proper during his stay. He knew about the place because it was also where the sibling of his batchmate, PO2 Arcenal of the Iloilo City Public Safety Company, stays.

At around 4:30 a.m., neighbors claimed they heard two gun shots. “They did not mind it thinking that it could have been a firecracker,” said Legada. They only realized it came from a gun more than five hours later.

Arcenal said he was about to fetch Fortuna at about 10:20 a.m. and bring him to the wharf in Muelle Loney St., Iloilo City when he discovered the incident. He recalled hearing first his classmate snoring even after he made several loud knocks on the door. This prompted him to pick-lock the door and discovered the bloodied Fortuna. (FREEMAN)