By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Three persons, including a policeman, were dead, while three others, including two police officers, were wounded in a stabbing incident outside a restobar in Barangay Salvacion, Murcia, Negros Occidental yesterday.
Killed in the incident were Police Corporal Gabby Castillo, a personnel of the 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company (NOCPMFC), and civilians – Benedict Maguad of Murcia town, and Marvin Guardavilla of La Castellana town.
Wounded were Police Staff Sergeants Namelou Sapuan, 35, of Murcia town, and Jaytie Misme, 35, of Valladolid town, who are both members of 2nd NOCPMFC, and restobar owner Fernando Diaz of Murcia town.
Based on initial investigation, the two policemen tagged along with Sapuan, who went home to deliver money to his family.
When they were on their way back to their base in Barangay Dulao, Bago City, on board a car owned by Castillo, they decided to stop in a restobar near Sapuan’s house for a few drinks. They probably met Maguad there, who is their friend, according to the police.
While they were having a drinking session, a commotion occurred outside the restobar between the group of the suspect identified as Marjune Gallano and Guardavilla. This prompted them to respond to pacify the commotion.
Police Major Joeil Reclamado, Murcia town police chief, said that the policemen approached Gallano to pacify him, but they were allegedly stabbed by the suspect.
Reclamado said that the policemen later shouted to introduce themselves, but it was too late, as Gallano allegedly continued stabbing them.
Castillo suffered a stab wound in the abdomen, Maguad sustained two stab wounds in the left thigh and left arm, and Guardavilla suffered a stab wound in the chest. They were declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Sapuan suffered a stab wound in his right armpit, while Misme sustained stab wounds in the back and right arm, and a gunshot wound in his left thigh. Diaz suffered a stab wound in the back. They are confined in separate hospitals here.
Reclamado said they could not yet determine how Misme was hit by a bullet, but they are looking into a possible accidental firing from his issued firearm.
Recovered from the crime scene were two issued firearms of Castillo and Misme, while the bladed weapon was not recovered.
Reclamado said that drunkenness may have triggered the commotion between Gallano and Guardavilla’s group.
Meanwhile, Police Captain Judesses Catalogo, public information officer of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said that despite the demise of their colleague, they were able to arrest the suspects to give justice to the victims.
Catalogo said that Gallano was arrested in a hot pursuit operation in Barangay Canlandog, while his nephew Jojie Gallano, and Venus Grace Catbagan were apprehended in Barangay Blumentrit.
Catalogo said that police are also probing if there were other people involved in the incident who may have ganged up on the policemen.
“It may be an accessory to the crime, or collectively may participation man ang iban,” he added.
Catalogo said that the three policemen were on duty and just asked permission from their team leader to go out from their base to accompany Sapuan.
He said that the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) will conduct a motopropio investigation to determine what really happened and to assess if the two wounded cops may have an administrative liability.
He said that the Provincial Investigation and Detection Management Unit is also probing the incident upon the order of Police Colonel Leo Pamittan, Nocppo director, who visited the site of the incident.
