Cop on duty served warrant over slay try

A POLICEMAN was arrested yesterday afternoon for allegedly shooting a farm caretaker in Naga nearly seven years ago.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 arrested PO3 Leoncio Salubre, 49, while he was on duty at the San Fernando Police Station.

The warrant against Salubre over a frustrated murder charge was issued by Judge Soliver Peras of RTC Branch 10 last July 11. Bail was set at P200,000.

The CIDG 7 said Salubre didn’t resist arrest.

The policeman allegedly shot Jerson Granton in the head in Barangay Pangdan in Naga City in October 2005. The victim survived.

When sought for comment Salubre, who is detained at the CIDG 7 detention cell, only said he was just responding to an alarm at the time of the incident.

In his counter-affidavit, the policeman denied the accusation. He said he was attending a wake in a chapel when he heard gunshots.

He was later called by the barangay captain of Pangdan to respond. When he arrived in the area near a store, he saw the bloodied Granton on the ground.

Surrender

Salubre then saw a man, later identified as Roberto Quines, carrying a gun and told him to surrender. Quines, however, allegedly started firing at him.

Salubre returned fire, forcing the man to flee. The policeman gave chase but failed to find him, so he rushed Granton to the hospital instead.

But in his affidavit, Quines said it was Salubre who shot Granton. Quines and Granton are co-workers in the farm.

Quines said that before the incident he and Granton were walking toward the store, where they later met Salubre.

Salubre then allegedly identified himself and threatened to kill them over the land they were staying, Quines said in his affidavit.

Salubre denied Quines’s allegation, saying he only did his job as a policeman. He said he just responded to the incident and that he did not shoot the victim.