Cop disarmed over ‘accidental’ gun discharge in police camp

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A police officer was disarmed after his gun accidentally went off evening of July 7, 2021 inside the Police Regional Officer 6 (PRO-6) headquarters in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City.

A motu-proprio investigation is also being conducted to determine if Major Elde Labis, assistant chief of the PNP Regional Communications and Electronics Unit 6 (RCEU-6), violated police procedures.

The incident happened when Senior Master Sergeant Benito Daligdig Nueva Espena III used the male comfort room of the RCEU-6 office around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Espena saw that the kitchen door was open and immediately closed it. When he returned to their quarters to sleep, Labis, who was holding a gun, approached him.

Labis asked Espena why he was in the area. The latter told his superior that he closed the kitchen door.

Labis then entered his room until a gunshot was heard in his quarters.

Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Gregorio, acting RCEU-6 chief, said he immediately responded.

Gregorio, who was staying at the adjacent quarters, immediately confiscated Labis’ firearm for safekeeping.

“But I am personally and morally convinced that it was purely accidental. But just the same, I had to confiscate his firearm in the meantime,” he said.

Gregorio said Labis claimed he went out of his room after he heard noise outside his quarters.

When he determined that nothing was suspicious, he went back to his room and placed his gun on top of his bed.

But it accidentally went off with the bullet hitting a plastic storage box.

The Regional Internal Affairs Service 6 (RIAS-6) is investigating the incident.