TACLOBAN CITY — A police officer assigned in Eastern Samar is now under custody after he was arrested for allegedly robbing a vegetable vendor in Abuyog, Leyte, and later sustaining a gunshot wound when he reportedly pointed a firearm at another off-duty cop who tried to arrest him.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on November 4 in Barangay Nalibunan, Abuyog, where the victim, identified only as alias “Lenny,” 30, of Barangay Pagsang-an, was buying vegetables from a truck. The suspect—wearing a black raincoat—allegedly snatched her gold necklace worth P42,000 and a belt bag containing P15,000 in cash before fleeing on a motorcycle.
An off-duty police officer who was nearby witnessed the robbery and immediately identified himself as a law enforcer. When he attempted to intercept the fleeing suspect, the latter allegedly drew a short firearm and aimed it at the officer, prompting the latter to fire in self-defense.
A few hours later, investigators from the Abuyog Municipal Police Station learned that a man with a gunshot wound had been admitted to Baybay City Hospital. Coordination with the Javier Municipal Police Station confirmed that the wounded man was a 37-year-old Police Master Sergeant assigned at the Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office (ESPPO) and a resident of Zone 1, Javier, Leyte.
Authorities arrested the suspect at the hospital and recovered from him a PNP-issued firearm with 13 live rounds, a black Honda Click motorcycle, the raincoat used during the robbery, and P7,720 in cash.
The officer remains under police custody while charges for robbery and violations of the Philippine National Police Code of Conduct are being prepared. Police officials assured that appropriate administrative and criminal actions will be pursued against him.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
