Off-duty cop shoots down pal, wounds kid

He was considered an “efficient policeman” whose 22 years of service were devoid of any cases of abuse or violence.

Yet, PO2 Rosendo Cabrera is now detained at the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) headquarters for shooting down a friend and wounding a four-year-old girl during a drinking session in sitio San Vicente Ferrer, barangay Tabok, Mandaue City yesterday.

The victim was identified as Remegio Iran, Cabrera’s neighbor, who drove for a doctor assigned at the Eversley Hospital. Iran sustained gunshot wounds on the head and various portions of his body.

Both Cabrera and Iran were cementing portions of the road in front of their houses. They agreed to a drinking session and a heated argument ensued at 4:30 p.m.

“Giingnan man gud ko niya nga ‘way ayo nga pagkapulis. Way pulos. Natandog akong garbo. Cge pa gyud niya balik-balik. Angkonon ko na ako sayop (mam), nahinaykan man gyud nako (I was told that policemen are worthless and inutile. My pride was hurt. He kept on repeating those words. I admit that I was wrong but I was driven to the edge),” Cabrera said.

The 29-year-old store owner identified as Elma Recarete said she was alarmed when she heard Cabrera and Iran shouting at each other.

“They were friends, they didn’t fight like that before,” Recarete said in Cebuano.

Cabrera surrendered to fellow police officers in barangay Mantuyong less than an hour after the shooting.

Crime scene

The four-year-old girl identified as Kenjie Tacunto was hit by a stray bullet from Cabrera’s firearm. She was later declared out of danger by attending doctors.

The child happened to pass by the area when the shooting incident occurred. She was hit on his right ankle by bullet splinters and was rushed by passersby to the Mandaue City District Hospital.

Barangay Tabok where the shooting occurred is located 10 kilometers away from the gasoline station in barangay Mantuyong—the area where Cabrera is also assigned.

Before his surrender, the 48-year-old Cabrera saw responding police officers from barangay Basak police precinct led by Chief Insp. Wilson Abot.

Clean

Cabrera told them where the victim was before fleeing the crime scene.

At first Abot said he thought it was Cabrera who got shot based on a report they received from the policeman’s neighbors.

He said he was surprised that Cabrera still managed to board a passenger jeepney in the main highway that was headed to barangay Mantuyong.

Cabrera had been assigned at different police precincts in Mandaue City.

His current assignment is at the MCPO precinct 1. He is married with four children.

Chief Insp. Elmer Fernandez, MCPO precinct 1 chief, said Cabrera was about to surrender to them when he was arrested by responding policemen.

He said Cabrera’s record was clean since he was transferred to the station last December.

Already dead

Police investigation showed that Cabrera used his .45 service firearm to shoot Iran.

His gun was tucked behind the right side of his waist while they drank together.

Cabrera tested positive for liquor consumption by the police and was brought for questioning at the MCPO’s Investigation and Detection Management Bureau at 8 p.m.

Police said Cabrera will be transferred back to the Basak police precinct for detention.

At the crime scene, police recovered six empty shells from a .45 pistol. Iran was seen lying on the ground soaked in blood.

He was already dead when Insp. Abot and the other policemen arrived in barangay Tabok.

“I didn’t know if I shot him six times because I was near him,” Cabrera said.

Abot said they have yet to evaluate whether homicide or murder charges will be filed against Cabrera. /Fe Marie Dumaboc, Correspondent with a report from Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza