Police nabbed for pal’s death

Monday, February 6, 2012

CEBU CITY -- After being called worthless, an off-duty policeman shot and killed his drinking buddy and injured a four-year-old boy in Mandaue City Sunday afternoon.

Police Officer 2 Rosendo Cabrera, 48, was arrested by operatives of the Basak Police Station after he attempted to evade arrest by hiding in Barangay Mantuyong, in the same city.

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Cabrera, a beat patrol policeman assigned in the Centro Police Station, was arrested for allegedly shooting his neighbor Remedios Iran, 42, while they were drinking near their homes in Barangay Tabok, Mandaue at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

CEBU. Police Officer 2 Rosendo Cabrera in front of Chief Inspector Jimmy Aguisanda of the Mandaue City Police Office. (Allan Cuizon)

CEBU. Investigators from the Scene of the Crime Operations search the scene in Barangay Tabok, Mandaue City, where Remedios Iran was shot dead, allegedly by his friend and neighbor, Police Officer 2 Rosendo Cabrera. (Allan Cuizon)

A stray bullet from Cabrera’s .45 service pistol hit a four-year-old boy’s left ankle.

Moments before the attack, Iran reportedly argued with Cabrera while having drinks.

Drinking

Inspector Wilson Abot, Basak Police Station chief, told reporters Cabrera and Iran had helped each other cement a pathway between their two houses, and after their work was done, they decided to relax by drinking in a nearby store.

A few rounds of drinks later, Cabrera and Iran allegedly began arguing. Before anyone could intervene, the policeman allegedly pulled out his service firearm from his hip and started shooting Iran several times.

Iran died immediately.

Six empty shells fired from a .45 pistol were found in the crime scene.

A four-year-old boy who happened to be passing by got hit in his ankle. The boy was rushed to the Mandaue City District Hospital and was declared out of danger.

After shooting Iran, Cabrera fled.

Insulted

Abot and his operatives arrested Cabrera as he was about to flee toward Barangay Mantuyong.

Cabrera, in a separate interview, admitted to shooting Iran.

He told reporters his neighbor called him a “worthless policeman.”

“Giingnan ko niya nga wala kuno koy hinungdan na pulis,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera, who has been a policeman for 22 years, said that was the first time he was involved in a misdemeanor.

But Iran’s family told Sun.Star Cebu Sunday that Cabrera has a reputation for acting out when drunk.

Regner Iran, the victim’s eldest son, revealed that last Christmas, Cabrera threatened to shoot his father.

Cabrera was drunk at that time, the son claimed.

To protect his father, Regner armed himself with a knife, in case Cabrera threatened Iran again.

Father

Regner revealed that Cabrera had a good relationship with his father, as long as he was sober.

“Kung mahubog man gud na siya, magmaoy man gud na (Whenever he (Cabrera) gets drunk, he runs amuck),” Regner said.

He added he thought of Cabrera as a second father.

Now, he and his family plan to file a case against Cabrera.

Chief Inspector Jimmy Aguisanda, Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) duty officer of the day, told reporters that Cabrera tested positive in a liquor test and will undergo a paraffin test to determine if he really fired a pistol recently.

His service firearm will also be subjected to a ballistic test, which will show if the bullets that hit Iran were fired from it.

Aguisanda added there will be no special treatment in handling Cabrera’s case.

“Even if he is a policeman, he will be treated like any other crime suspect,” he added. (Sun.Star Cebu)