AFTER SHOOTING FRIEND: Police probe fellow cop’s death

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Victorias City Police Station in Negros Occidental is still investigating the case of a policeman who was found lifeless after allegedly shooting dead his friend by accident at Barangay 21, Victorias City, Negros Occidental last Tuesday.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Mary Rose Pico, Victorias City police chief, identified the fatalities as James Karl Sernal, 26, of Barangay 6; and Patrolman Dionel Lutao, 26, of Barangay 1, who was assigned at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB)-6 in Iloilo.

Pico said the incident happened while Sernal and Lutao were drinking liquor with their two other friends around 8:05 p.m. at the house of a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman, who is also their friend.

Pico said nobody witnessed the incident but one of their friends saw Sernal with a lone gunshot wound on the head while Lutao ran outside the house.

One of their friends then heard three gunshots and when he came out to check, he already saw the bloodied Lutao on the ground, she added.

Lutao and Sernal were taken to a hospital, where they were both declared dead.

Police recovered from the scene three live ammunition and five empty shells from Lutao’s government-issued .9mm-caliber pistol (Glock 17).

Pico said Lutao was on an emergency pass as he went home for the holiday.

When asked if there was foul play in the incident, Pico said she cannot confirm anything yet.

“We cannot yet tell if Sernal died of accidental firing and if Lutao committed suicide after what happened,” she added.

Pico also said that nobody was seen outside the SK chairman’s house when Lutao was found dead after the incident, based on statements from other residents in the area.

“Sernal and Lutao were childhood friends and there were no arguments that could trigger the incident during that time,” the city police chief added.

All four persons present in the drinking session underwent paraffin test to detect gunpowder residues in their hands.

Pico said the victims’ two friends were being considered as persons of interest while investigation is ongoing.

“They actually volunteered themselves to be investigated to aid the police in the investigation,” she said.