CEBU, Philippines - The Bohol-based policeman who was shot by his cousin who is also a cop died while being treated at the hospital last Monday afternoon.
Insp. Erenieto Polestico Feniza, chief of the Sikatuna Police Station in Bohol, confirmed that SPO4 Fidel Malig-on, 41, passed away at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital at past 4 p.m.
Malig-on sustained three gunshot wounds to the stomach. He was at the Sikatuna Police Station at past 9 a.m. when his cousin, PO2 Marlon Balbiran, arrived looking for him. After learning that Malig-on was in the kitchen, Balbiran went straight there, pulled his pistol out, and confronted Malig-on by saying, “nganong gipakauwawan nimo akong pamilya?” before firing shots.
Another policeman, PO3 Al-Noel Felicia, rushed to the kitchen and urged Balbiran to put the gun down but the latter allegedly shot him instead, prompting Felicia to take cover and fire back, hitting Balbiran in the head.
Balbiran was rushed to the hospital but did not make it there alive. He was assigned at the Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella, Bohol.
“Based sa investigation, mora’g estorya lang nga gidaginot atong kuan (Balbiran)… si Malig-on wa mag-expect nga naa nay gihambin nga kaligotgot si PO2 Balbiran. Kana ba’ng hatod-hatod og estorya,” Feniza said.
At the Police Regional Office 7 in Cebu City, the director, Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, said Felicia’s response to shoot Balbiran back may be justified because he did so in “defense against a stranger.”
“Somebody is not in his frame of mind… lumaban pa yun (Balbiran)…what Felicia did is justified as a defense of a stranger,” Gaerlan said.
He advised his men to take a breather once and a while so that the stress that comes along with the job will not affect them tremendously.
“Di pairalin ang init ng ulo… easier said than done… di tayo paapekto sa stress sa trabaho. Give yourself sometime… stay with your family… pag may problema pag-usapan muna, wag nang barilan,” Gaerlan said. – (FREEMAN)