2 Iloilo cops, facing murder raps, yield

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Two policemen of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office voluntarily surrendered to their superior after receiving their warrants of arrest for a murder case Monday morning.

Senior Police Officer 4 Rey Castro, former Dumangas Police deputy chief and Igbaras Police chief, and Police Officer 3 Aaron Gaton, Dumangas Police investigator, sought the help of Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, IPPO director, when the arrest warrants were served to them by the National Bureau of Investigation-Region 6.

The case against Castro and Gaton started last January 2 when they responded to a commotion between Arlie Decolongon and Benny Bedia inside the Dumangas town public market.

Castro said they were on “call of duty” when they responded to the alarm sent by Barangay Chairman Virgilio Balaso who failed to pacify Decolongon and Bedia from fighting.

The two protagonists refused to heed the authorities, and Castro said he accidentally shot the head of Decolongon who was already unruly at the time. “I did not mean to shoot the victim’s head. I’m actually about to give a warning fire by shooting his shoulder but the victim keeps moving thus hitting him in the head,” Castro said.

Salinas had expressed dismay over the filing of the case against the responding policemen, resulting in the state of low morale among their colleagues.

He also said the response of Castro and Gaton was a legitimate operation and their getting into trouble as a result gave a chilling effect to other policemen who may now have second thoughts in responding to crimes or emergency calls.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr, for his part, said he would extend help to operatives of the IPPO, adding that the innocence of Castro and Gaton would save them from murder charges and set them free. —Montesa Griño Caoyonan (FREEMAN)