Antique cop in hot water following domestic scuffle

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

A member of Pandan Police Station in Antique province is in hot water after he allegedly resisted arrest and indiscriminately fired his gun evening of May 4, 2021.

The incident in which Staff Sergeant Jhun Alvarez got embroiled in stemmed from a domestic fight with his live-in partner inside their house in Barangay Tingib, Pandan.

Alvarez, 38, was allegedly drunk on the night he had a fight with his 31-year-old live-in partner Rhea (not her real name).

Lieutenant Danny Eguis, Pandan police chief, described the fight as more like a psychological confrontation, not physical abuse.

At the height of their argument, Rhea decided to leave their beach house and go to her parents’ house at Barangay Carmen.

Eguis said the woman drove a Toyota Vios sedan owned by her mother. But before she could leave, Alvarez quickly prevented her from leaving.

When she refused to go out of the car, the cop took a fist-size rock and struck the car’s windshield and side mirror.

Rhea then called her mother and asked the latter to call for police assistance.

The mother personally reported the matter to the police and went with the responding officers.

When the officers arrived, Alvarez was seen carrying his issued M16 Armalite rifle and bandolier.

Executive Master Sergeant Ranches Barsobia and Senior Master Sergeant Lilibeth Unlayao went inside to negotiate with Alvarez while three other policemen served as back-up.

To show that he had no plan of harming Alvarez, Barsobia left his gun in their patrol car. He talked to Alvarez asking him to calm down and talk things over.

But Alvarez allegedly became arrogant and refused to go with fellow cops. He then turned sideways and pulled the rifle’s trigger.

Unlayao immediately grabbed Rhea, and both hid behind a garbage bin.

Alvarez again fired his rifle once more.

The three back-up police officers immediately approached Alvarez and grappled for the rifle. They were able to overpower Alvarez and took him to the police station where he is now detained.

Eguis said they had filed a case for violation of Article 254 of the Revised Penal Code for illegal discharge of firearm.

It was gathered that Rhea decided not to pursue the case for violation of Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004) against Alvarez.

Eguis said Alvarez would also be investigated by the Antique Provincial Internal Affairs Service (PIAS) for possible administrative charges.

He added that he would also seek the guidance of the Antique Police Provincial Office (APPO) on Alvarez’s duty status once he could post his P36,000 bail.

“I have to ask the higher headquarters if we will put him under restriction,” Eguis said.

It was gathered that Alvarez and Rhea, while both single, had been living together for at least a year already.