Town cop cleaning gun injured

CEBU, Philippines — A neophyte policeman in Daanbantayan accidentally shot himself while unloading his newly-issued firearm last Wednesday night.

Chief Inspector William Homoc, the newly-installed chief of the Daanbantayan Police Station, said Police Officer 1 Socrates Bacalso, was rushed to a hospital for gunshot wounds.

He said that Bacalso was in the middle of cleaning his Glock 9mm service pistol when it suddenly discharged, hitting him in his left leg and palm.

Homoc said that Bacalso is now in stable condition.

“He is now in stable condition, because soft tissue ra man ang naigo sa iya dili ra sad kayo grabe,” Homoc said.

Bacalso will shoulder the expenses of his hospitalization first, before any decision from the regional headquarters to extend possible assistance.

He said that as of present Bacalso is not administratively liable which means he will not face any sanctions as a consequence.

He said that it will be the Police Regional Office-7 that will make the final decision where or not Bacalso will be enrolled in retraining for gun handling or face a possible case for negligence.

“We will wait for the directive coming from the regional headquarters, but wala man sad siya mahimo ana, he has to accept it if unsa gani decision,” Homoc said.

Homoc said that all neophyte policemen will undergo reorientation of their new firearms.

To recall, last January 5, PRO-7 director Debold Sinas and his command group trooped to the Daanbantayan Police Station and relieved all 21 policemen assigned there for low performance.

The newly-installed policemen who replaced those who were relieved underwent basic training at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion. However, Homoc said the firearms they were oriented with were the .45 cal. pistol and the M-16 rifle. — BRP (FREEMAN)