RUSSIAN ROULETTE
Police probing 5 for death of man

Five persons are now under investigation for the death of a 21-year-old man who allegedly shot himself accidentally while playing with his gun in Bacolod City Saturday, the police said yesterday.

Police Station 4 commander, Senior Inspector Santiago Rapiz, said the friends of Paul Bryan Andren who were with him when he shot himself in the head with a homemade .38 caliber revolver, have been subjected to paraffin tests to erase any doubts that they were involved in the incident.

Four of the victim's friends are minors and have been endorsed to the Social Development Center , while the other one, who is allegedly the leader of the gang Andren belongs to, is still detained at Police Station 4, Rapiz said.

They told the police that Andren, of Marapara Street , Brgy. Villamonte, in the city, took out four bullets from the gun and played Russian roulette with it, not knowing that one slug was still in its chamber when he aimed it on his head and pulled the trigger.

However, the paraffin test conducted on Andren's right and left hands, yielded negative results and this prompted them to further investigate the case, Rapiz said.

Rapiz said that if Andren had indeed pulled the trigger on himself, his hands should have tested positive for powder burns.

Although it is possible for someone to test negative for powder burns after firing a gun, Rapiz said it was uncommon for a person who had fired a revolver, like the one Andren used, to yield negative results.

Andren's mother had earlier told investigators that he may have been shot by members of his group's rival gang.

For now, Rapiz said that they will still dig deeper into what had really happened outside the sari-sari store at Florida Street , Brgy. Villamonte at about 8 p.m. Saturday to give justice to Andren and his family.*PP

back to top

Rapiz to get award
for refusing bribe

The Bacolod City Police Office has recommended to the Police Regional Office 6 an award for Senior Inspector Santiago Rapiz, in recognition of his honesty, when he refused to accept the bribe money offered him by two arrested Salisi Gang members last month.

Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, BCPO director, yesterday said he also recommended citations for other policemen of Police Station 2 headed by Senior Inspector Rey Gumban, whose joint efforts with the Special Operations Group Task Force, led to the arrest of two Salisi Gang members who had victimized a toy store in Bacolod City on Oct. 13.

Police investigations showed that Rapiz was offered P25,000 bribe money by Liza Razon,30, and Emily Donasco.32, of Cebu City and Pototan, Iloilo , respectively, in exchange for their release.

Razon and Donasco were arrested by the police for stealing a Toshiba lap top computer with a market value of P40,000 from the Fun Box Toy Store at 13 th Lacson Street in Bacolod City .

Both are now facing bribery and theft charges in court.

Quebrar said the refusal of Rapiz to accept the bribe offer indicated that there are still honest policemen who cannot be bribed.

Rapiz is now the commander of BCPO Police Station 4.

In 2004, SPO1 Dante Victor Escorpion, a former member of the Silay police Special Weapons and Tactics, got a meritorious promotion, that was approved by then PNP chief Arturo Lomibao, also in recognition of his refusal to accept P15,000 in bribe money from a gambling financier in Silay City.*GPB

back to top

Manhunt on vs. suspect
in slay at bus terminal

The police said yesterday that they are still looking for the suspect in the scuffle that led to the fatal shooting of a candy vendor in Bacolod City Monday night.

Police Station 6 commander, Senior Inspector Ulysses Ortiz, said they are searching for “Weng-Weng”, a day after Anita Palacios died of gunshot wounds when he grabbed the shotgun of security guard Dodgie Norca at the Ceres South Terminal at Lopez Jaena Street , in the city, at about 6:45 p.m. Monday.

Norca's security agency had shouldered the hospital and other expenses incurred by Palacio's family, Ortiz said.

Witnesses said Norca, 34, accidentally pulled the trigger of the gun and the bullet hit Palacios on the left arm and her neck. This was when he and Weng-Weng grappled for it after the guard confronted him about complaints that he was stealing tickets from passengers at the terminal.

The vendor, who was on her way home then, was declared dead on arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital later.

Meanwhile, Ortiz said they will file frustrated homicide charges against Jose Montinola, 63, for repeatedly stabbing Ma. Lourdes Machon and her daughter, Charmaine, Monday.

Ortiz said they are still investigating why Montinola attacked the two at Therese's Homes, Brgy. Taculing, in the city, at about 4 p.m. Monday.

The women are now in stable condition at the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center , Ortiz added.*PP

back to top

Police Beat Title 4

Paste Article Here

back to top