Saturday, November 11, 2006
Another soldier goes berserk
CEBU CITY -- Another drunk soldier allegedly caused trouble in Lapu-Lapu City, this time damaging a store Thursday night.
Barangay tanods arrested Sgt. Gregorio Lazo, 36, after he reportedly smashed soft drink and beer bottles at a store owned by his sister-in-law Epileda Berdin Arganda in Upper Matumbo, Barangay Pusok.
The tanods turned Lazo over to the police.
The incident happened a week after four drunk soldiers from the Light Reaction Co. and the Philippine Air Force had a fight with a policeman over a traffic violation last November 2.
"Naa pay gubot nga wa ma-settle, naa na pud lain, (We haven't solved the other cases yet, and now this)," said Central Command (Centcom) spokesman Col. Jefferson Omandam.
But Omandam said last Thursday's incident was only a domestic trouble. He said he will let the police handle the complaint and file necessary charges against the Army officer.
Damage was placed at P3,000.
Police are now preparing a complaint for malicious mischief against Lazo.
Lapu-Lapu City Police investigator PO2 Benedicto Bobilles said Lazo is married to Arganda's younger sister.
Arganda is renting a space for her store from the Lazo couple. The store is adjacent to Lazo's house.
That night, Arganda saw a drunk Lazo heading to her store past 8 p.m. She immediately closed shop, as Lazo reportedly harasses her whenever he's drunk. This irked Lazo. He banged the walls of the store, toppling down beer and soft drink bottles.
Arganda called up barangay tanods Gerry Patalinjug, Rodelito Lara-yos and Romeo Abendan. Lazo was unarmed.
Initially, police learned that Lazo is with the 2nd Tactical Operations Wing (TOW) of Mactan Benito Ebuen Airbase in Lapu-Lapu City but connected with the Centcom in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.
But Lieutenant Eures Montejo, of the Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Command, corrected the information. He said Lazo had been relieved from his command and is now with Centcom.
Omandam, for his part, promised to check on Lazo's background.
He said there are joint patrols roaming Mactan Island, including Lapu-Lapu City.
He said it is Naval Forces Central chief, Captain Roberto Estioko, who is in-charge of these patrols.
But a member of Lapu-Lapu City patrol team said no military man has joined them in their patrols.
Omandam and police officials launched the police-military patrol program last November 7 at Police Regional Office in reaction to the drunken brawls involving military men in Lapu-Lapu City.
Lapu-Lapu City has been the site of a series of drunken brawls involving military men recently.
The first one involved soldiers from the Marines, who reportedly refused to pay their bills at a bar. The second was between Air Force and Light Reaction Personnel and a policeman. (OCP of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (November 11, 2006 issue)
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