Cop charged for homicide in teenager’s death

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A case for homicide was already filed against the policeman who allegedly shot a 16-year-old during a riot in City Proper district, Iloilo City shortly after midnight of Oct. 15.

Captain Roque Gimeno III, Iloilo City Police Station 1 chief, said they filed an inquest case against the 51-year-old cop who is also a resident of Barangay Rizal Pala Pala Zone 1, City Proper.

Gimeno did not name the suspect but claimed that he was a member of the Nueva Valencia Municipal Police Station in Guimaras province.

Although he voluntarily turned himself in to the Iloilo City Police Station 1, he was considered arrested. He went to the police station, together with his immediate superior Major Ali Estember, 12 hours after the death of alias Dence (real name withheld)

The policeman-suspect also turned in his firearm, a caliber .45 TS9 pistol (serial number TL T95209) with magazine loaded with 17 ammunition.

Gimeno said seven of Dence’s friends stood as witnesses against the suspect.

As alleged by the suspect, he went out of their house upon learning of the commotion in the nearby sea wall.

“He claimed that he just wanted to fire a warning shot when he saw that the other group appeared to be armed with knives,” he said.

The warning shot was to scare the group away.

He even claimed he ran after the group and later returned to the scene to tend to the wounded Dence.

But the victim was already taken to the hospital.

The suspect also claimed that he could not be the one responsible for killing the victim since he heard two gunfire volleys.

Dence was killed following a fight between his group and another gang shortly after midnight on Oct. 15 at Rizal Pala-Pala Zone 1.

The group was celebrating their friend’s birthday party in the area.

At around 12:10 a.m. on Sunday, a group of 15 youngsters, mostly minors, went near the area where Dence’s group was drinking.

They hurled empty bottles towards the victim’s group.

A brawl ensued between them.

Around a minute later, a gunfire was heard. Dence slumped to the pavement with blood oozing from his stomach.

He was rushed to Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital but died while undergoing treatment.