A RETIRED police officer was killed while two policemen were injured in a shooting incident at Barangay Progreso, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental Wednesday evening.
Police identified the fatality as retired Senior Police Officer 1 Rene Nobleza, 60, formerly assigned at Himamaylan City Police Station.
Injured were Police Officer 2 Julius Bitgue and Police Officer 1 Ryan Api, both members of Binalbagan Municipal Police Station.
Senior Inspector Albert Sy, Binalbagan police chief, said Thursday that at about 7:45 p.m., Nobleza’s wife, Wilma, informed them that her husband was hurting their child.
Police Officer 3 Jose Ervin Pacete, together with Bitgue and Api, responded, accompanied by the complainant.
When they arrived, Nobleza approached them and dragged his wife, who was on board the police vehicle, Sy said.
The woman was crying and refused to leave the police vehicle. Her husband, who was under the influence of intoxicating liquor, continued to drag her and angrily ordered the police officers to leave.
When Api told him to calm down, Nobleza took his firearm tucked in his waist, and fired at the policeman, hitting him on the abdomen.
Bitgue went to assist his colleague and tried to seize Nobleza’s gun, but his own firearm fell to the ground.
Nobleza assaulted Bitgue, who was eventually able to pick up his firearm and fired at the suspect.
Nobleza sustained a wound in his neck and was brought to the infirmary clinic where he was declared dead by the attending physician.
Api was brought to the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital in Bacolod City while Bitgue was treated at the infirmary clinic.
Api is still confined at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, Sy said.
Police recovered from the scene of the crime a .45 caliber pistol loaded with a magazine with one round live ammunition owned by Nobleza; three fired cartridges of .45 caliber; one round live ammunition of .9mm caliber; and one bullet shell of .9mm.
Sy said that Bitgue shot the suspect in defense of his own life since he was also in danger.
He said they will wait for the decision of the Nobleza family if they will file a complaint against Bitgue.