‘Drunk’ cop under probe for shooting three persons

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A police officer assigned at the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here is in hot water for two separate shooting incidents in the province last Aug 27, 2019.

Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, Nocppo director, said the Provincial Internal Affairs Service (PIAS) will subject Police Corporal Ace Pacificar to motu proprio (Latin for “on its own initiative”) investigation for possible administrative liability while the two concerned police stations will probe his criminal offenses.

Baleros said he was able to talk to Pacificar when the latter underwent drug testing at the Nocppo headquarters yesterday.

Baleros said Pacificar is currently on “floating status” after he allegedly shot three persons in the towns of Hinigaran and Pontevedra on Tuesday night.

The first incident happened in Hinigaran town when Pacificar confronted 20-year-old Jiene Mar Baya who was talking to his father in front of a sari-sari store at Barangay Gargato where the policeman and his two other companions allegedly drank liquor.

Baleros said Pacificar told him that the confrontation happened when he saw Baya allegedly roaming in the area.

“He confronted Baya because the latter was being suspicious and he alleged that the victim was a known thief,” Baleros said.

However, Pacificar allegedly fired his gun at Baya when he saw the latter draw something from his pocket, which he thought was a gun, but was actually a cellular phone.

Baya suffered a lone gunshot wound in his neck and was rushed to a private hospital here while Pacificar fled on board his motorcycle.

Recovered from the scene were two slugs of .9mm-caliber bullets.

Police Major James Latayon said Baya alleged that he and his father went to Gargato to eat dinner at a relative’s house. The Bayas are residents of Barangay Quiwi.

On the other hand, the fleeing Pacificar figured in an accident at Barangay M.H. Del Pilar in the adjacent town of Pontevedra.

Police Captain Rhojn Darell Nigos, town police chief, said Pacificar fell from his motorcycle as he drove through a blind curve. He thought that he was being chased by Baya’s family members.

Nigos said Aldwin Provido, who was driving a motorcycle, and his companion Billy Mindanao were tailing Pacificar and saw him fall off his motorcycle.

Nigos said Provido and Mindanao tried to assist Pacificar, but as they came near him, the cop allegedly shot them.

Both victims were rushed to Valladolid District Hospital.

Pacificar surrendered to Nigos and also turned over his government-issued caliber .9 mm (Glock 17) pistol with six live ammunitions.

Despite Pacificar’s justifications and alibis, Baleros said he will not tolerate such “invalid” actions of a police officer.

Baleros said he will recommend Pacificar’s transfer to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU) at the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 headquarters in Iloilo City while he is being investigated.

The police provincial director said he has not received any complaint against Pacificar while he was assigned at Nocppo.

But Baleros said he must face the consequences of his actions.

Pacificar is facing criminal charges for attempted murder and frustrated murder in relation to the Pontevedra incident while additional charges for attempted homicide will also be filed against him in relation to the Hinigaran incident.

He is detained at Pontevedra Municipal Police Station. He is the brother of Police Major Rogelio Pacificar Jr., head of PDEU-Nocppo.

Corporal Pacificar refused to answer questions from journalists.