PRO-8 orders probe, filing of raps vs police-suspect
TACLOBAN CITY — A policeman allegedly shot and wounded a barangay chairwoman in Catbalogan City on Saturday evening, prompting Chief Superintendent Gilberto Cruz, director of the Police Regional Office-8, yesterday to order an investigation and the filing of criminal and administrative charges against the suspect.
The police-suspect in the shooting was identified as Police Officer 2 Felix Donald Versoza, who is assigned to the Samar Police Public Safety Company. He was earlier apprehended for refusing to pay for the beers he and a friend drank in a restobar, which was owned by 52-year-old Barangay Chairwoman Nimfa Rosal.
Cruz said that, based on a report reaching his office from the Catbalogan City Police, Versoza—who is now detained at the city police detention cell—allegedly shot Rosal right inside the police station after a heated argument between the two.
Versoza fired at least three times at Rosal, hitting her left chest and right forearm, just beside the police desk of the station. Rosal was rushed to the Samar Provincial Hospital, but was transferred to a private hospital in Tacloban City, where she is now being treated.
Reports had it that the barangay official went to the police station to confront Versoza of the latter’s failure to pay the P400 worth of beer he and his civilian companion, Balbino Costo, consumed that Saturday evening.
Rosal, earlier at her restobar, called for police assistance when Versoza and Costo—allegedly already drunk—insisted of not paying for their bill. Responding policemen brought the two to the police station but they did not disarm the policeman.
Later at the police station, Rosal demanded Versoza to pay for the beers, and this resulted in a heated argument between them. The apparently angry Versoza drew his 9mm. Glock 17 gun and fired thrice at Rosal.
Superintendent Edwin Barbosa, chief of the Catbalogan City Police, said the policemen who earlier apprehended Versoza may be administratively charged for their failure to disarm the police-suspect before bringing the latter to the station.
Cruz, commenting on the incident, said he earlier warned policemen in Eastern Visayas that he will not tolerate abusive cops under his leadership, and that erring policemen will always be dismissed from the service.