Homicide raps vs 2 cops in QCPD station shooting

AFTER the first shot felled their colleague who was only trying to pacify them, the two policemen continued grappling for a gun until one of them pulled the trigger and a second shot rang out.

These details emerged Friday as homicide charges were filed against PO1 Rollsmith Ducusin and PO2 Teejay Valdez for the “untimely death” of SPO1 Arnel Fortes, the unintended victim of their fight at the Eastwood station of the Quezon City Police District.

The QCPD initially sued Ducusin and Valdez for murder, which is nonbailable, but the city prosecutor’s office downgraded the charge. A resolution by senior assistant city prosecutor Rodrigo del Rosario noted “the absence of  any of the circumstances to qualify the shooting of the victim as murder.”

But Del Rosario said “one who commits an intentional felony is responsible for all consequences which may naturally and logically result therefrom, whether foreseen or not.”

A bail of P40,000 each was recommended for both officers in the homicide case. Valdez was also charged with illegal possession of a loaded firearm and violation of the election gun ban, with bail set at P120,000.

The Glock 26 pistol used by Valdez was found to be not government-issued and was registered to a certain Antonio Pasigan.

On the afternoon of March 16, the 29-year-old Ducusin, a patrol man, and the 34-year-old Valdez, an administrative officer, had a heated argument about attendance records and compliance with the Performance Governance System for police officers.

Hours earlier, Valdez had been asking his colleagues when Ducusin would arrive at their station, according to PO2 Virgilio Mendoza, the case investigator.

When Ducusin finally arrived, he went to see then station commander Supt. Teresita Escamillan to ask for his transfer to another station, Mendoza said.

After stepping out of Escamillan’s office, Ducusin saw Valdez, who was then coming out of the office of chief administrator Insp. Brenie Bulso. The two officers got into a scuffle on the second floor hallway.

A  witness,  PO1 Donna Louise Cablao, gave a statement saying Valdez charged at Ducusin and then the latter pulled a gun.

The 44-year-old Fortes stepped in as a gun magazine fell on the floor. “Fortes was forcing the two to separate when a shot rang out and Fortes fell on the floor,’’ said another witness, Ma. Consuelo Pacheco, non-uniformed staff member.

As Fortes bled and a gun fell on the floor, the Valdez and Ducusin kept fighting for a second gun, Pacheco said. “Then that gun also went off and Valdez was hit in the abdomen. That’s when the other policemen came and stopped the fight.”

Fortes was hit in neck, the bullet passing through his head. He died in the hospital hours later.

Ducusin, who was grazed by a bullet on his right arm, remained in the custody of QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit as of Friday. Valdez was still recuperating at Marikina Valley Medical Center.