Pajantoy enters 'not guilty' plea

SPO4 Juanito Pajantoy pleaded "not guilty" yesterday's to the charge of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide filed against him by the wife of fellow policeman Michael Sarcol who he allegedly shot to death during a shooting incident over two years ago.

This was the second time that Pajantoy had entered a not-guilty plea. The first one was for the murder case that is still pending before the Regional Trial Court Branch 5. The two cases are related to the shooting incident of which Pajantoy is suspect to the deaths of Sarcol and suspected snatcher Omar Patiño.

On July 15, 2003, Pajantoy responded to a snatching alarm on Gen. Maxilom Avenue Extension. He was chasing suspected snatcher Patiño when Sarcol came to help catch the suspect. Witnesses of the incident said Pajantoy fired his first shot at Patiño, but hit fellow policeman Sarcol.

Pajantoy denied the allegations saying that it was Patiño who, armed with a gun as found in the crime scene, shot Sarcol.

Pajantoy is currently enjoying temporary liberty after posting a P10,000 bail for this case which is set to start at the sala of Municipal Trial Court in Cities branch 4 judge Rosabella Tormis.