Cop shoots man dead

AN off-duty policeman shot dead a man whom he  surprised in a pot session in an abandoned house in barangay Tisa, Cebu City where three persons were sniffing shabu.

SPO2 Reynante Nioda of the  Cebu City’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) said he fired at  Rasdie Ivan Omar, 25,  in self-defense.

Omar died of multiple gunshot wounds in the chest.

The policeman was at home when  neighbors told him that  an armed man was seen with two companions roaming about and entering an abandoned house in sitio Motra.

Nioda, who was off duty at the time, called for back-up from SWAT and Motorcycle Response Unit  before going to the house.

Nioda said he surprised three men sniffing shabu.

Nioda said that when he approached Omar and introduced himself as a policeman, the man  pulled a gun from his waist.

The policeman was  able to grab his hand.

Using his other hand, Omar pulled out a hard object and hit the policeman in the mouth.

The policeman said he drew out his gun and shot  Omar.

Nioda said he later found out that the hard object was a grenade.

Omar was already dead when paramedics arrived.

Nioda surrendered his Glock 9mm service firearm as part of the investigation.

Police are still waiting for the decision of Omar’s parents whether  they would file charges against  the policeman.

Police said  they found a grenade  near Omar’s body and a .357 homemade revolver with three bullets.

A plastic pack of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia and a cellular phone were found in the house.

Police said Omar, a resident of A. Lopez Street in barangay Labangon, was  an ex-convict and  known as a toughie in their place.

Supt. Arnel Banzon, officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Police Office, said Nioda did a legitimate operation since he responded to an armed person alarm. /CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON