A NEOPHYTE policeman, whose life story was recognized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), died in what appeared to be an accidental firing at his residence in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City past 11 a.m. Sunday, October 30, 2022.

Captain Elmer John Bonilla, Police Station 7 commander, identified the fatality as Patrolman Val Liansing of the barangay’s Purok Punay.

Bonilla said Liansing succumbed to a gunshot wound on his jaw while being treated at the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center several hours later.

He said that Liansing could have been cleaning his .45 caliber pistol when it accidentally fired, adding that when the policemen arrived, the victim was already sitting on the floor bloodied.

“He was trying to get up but the policemen told him to remain seated on the floor while waiting for the ambulance to arrive,” Bonilla said.

Investigation showed that the magazine was not attached to the gun but probably a bullet was left in its chamber.

His mother told his colleagues that he was preparing for his deployment in EB Magalona for the All Saints' and All Souls' Days.

Liansing is under a six-month training for the Pre-Basic Insurgency Special Operation Course, a requirement before he becomes a full-fledged policeman.

This year, the life story of Liansing, a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiary, won first place at the National Search for 2022 Salaysay ng Buhay ng Pamilyang Pantawid under the category Mata ng Batang 4Ps.

Liansing was born to a partially blind mother while his stepfather and three other siblings were also blind.

He had worked as a pedicab driver, a stevedore and a painter as well as a vendor of quail eggs before he was offered to work for Bacolod Councilor Israel Salangga.

An Agriculture graduate, Liansing availed of the Extended Student Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation of DSWD.