Man fights cops on patrol, shot in leg

A man from Dumanjug town was shot and wounded on his right leg after allegedly trying to shoot it out with a policeman in Pahina Central yesterday dawn.

Rolando Tolentino, 42, is now at the Cebu City Medical Center where barangay intelligence men are guarding him while investigators are still trying to determine why he had a .38-caliber revolver and what prompted him to fight with the policeman.

The incident started when operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch conducted a preventive patrol in crime-prone areas, such as Pahina Central.

The patrolling team was composed of SPO1 Filomeno Mendaros, PO3 Leopoldo Bauzon, and PO2s Edward Abatayo, Antonio Jay Pizarras and Melbert Dio.

At about 3:30 am, they reached the corner of Climaco and Dimasalang Streets and saw four men walking. But when the policemen approached and introduced themselves, the four men immediately scampered to various directions triggering a chase.

One of the four was Tolentino who got cornered but allegedly drew a gun from his waist. When he was set to shoot the approaching Mendaros, the policeman quickly got hold of his hand and the two grappled with each other for Tolentino's gun.

The two then stumbled to the ground causing Tolentino to set himself free from Mendaros' grip. Tolentino got up quickly, moved a few steps backward and threatened to shoot Mendaros and the other policemen who got there.

Mendaros was quicker however to draw his own gun and shot Tolentino in the leg. Tolentino fell and Abatayo in a flash subdued him by holding his hand and seizing his nickel-plated gun. - Ryan P. Borinaga