Editorial: Probing a cop’s ‘lack of foresight’

A CITY police chief in Negros Occidental drew flak online after he allegedly used another policeman as live target during a firing test. The viral video was uploaded on Facebook by a netizen almost a month after the May 19 incident.

In the 22-second video, Police Officer 1 Marvin Gustilo was standing in the target bay with his arms outstretched while a balloon was tucked between his legs.

Gustilo then dropped to the ground after he was hit by Superintendent Frederick Mead, chief of Victorias City Police Station.

Earlier reports said that Mead’s service firearm went off, and he hit Gustilo, who was fixing targets during their firearm proficiency training.

However, the supposed video, showed otherwise.

Senior Superintendent William Señoron, acting director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, ordered Mead’s relief from his post three days after the incident, and directed the conduct of an investigation.

Mead was reinstated last week, which drew criticisms, for alleged bias.

The police chief said he had no intention of hurting Gustilo, who is now on his way to recovery, adding that critics don’t have knowledge on what the training was all about.

He also defended his reinstatement as he cited Resolution 2006, Article 10 of the National Police Commission, stating that “once a policeman faces an administrative offense, pending the call for an administrative sanction of the Internal Affairs Service (IAS), and he is not allowed to be transferred to any police station.”

The sentiments of those concerned with Gustilo are valid. It was a case of a superior wounding a subordinate, which happened right in their own workplace. It should not be taken lightly.

However, since the video showed only 22 seconds of what supposedly happened, the material also needs to be validated.

Mead may have no intention of hurting Gustilo, but Señoron said that he “still committed an offense due to lack of foresight.” He also said that the video will be used as evidence in the course of the summary proceedings.

For now, Mead may have returned to his post, but he is still subject to further investigation for administrative offense so he is not totally off the hook.

Let the investigation proceed as part of due process, but those who want to see the case end in a fitting conclusion should remain vigilant as well.

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