Policewoman shoots self in CR

A policewoman from Region 6, assigned here for her field training program, shot herself inside the ladies' comfort room of a bakery inside the compound of the Basilica del Sto. Niño yesterday morning.

PO1 Karesh Valenzuela, 26, a native of Camp Delgado in Iloilo City was assigned to the Cebu City Traffic Management Group and detailed at the Magellan's Cross yesterday morning to help secure the devotees there.

Before the incident, Valenzuela asked permission from La Fortuna security guard Arnel Balabag of Archangel Security to use the comfort room of the bakery past 8 a.m. yesterday.

When she did not come out after a long time, other customers asked waiter Christopher Auza to help them. As he began knocking on the door he heard what he thought was a balloon bursting. It was only after he unlocked the door when he saw Valenzuela's slumped on the toilet bowl with blood starting to pool on the floor.

Homicide Investigator SPO3 Alex Dacua said a single gunshot was found in her right temple, the slug exited out of the left side of her skull and bored a hole in the wall.

Civilians and responding policemen rushed the victim to the Cebu City Medical Center where she died around 11 a.m. yesterday.

Police recovered from the bathroom her 9mm cal. service pistol with 13 live bullets, a deformed slug and an empty shell.

Valenzuela's colleagues told investigators that she owned a Nokia 6610 cellphone but it was nowhere to be found.

Investigators said her cellphone could have helped determine what happened as her colleagues described her as a happy person and could discern no reason for her to kill herself.

Valenzuela's bestfriend PO1 Rhumyla Manguilimotan also told Dacua that she do not also know why she would kill herself.

She said that the Police Regional Office-7 has already coordinated with PRO-6 and Valenzuela's parents were already informed of her death yesterday noon. Valenzuela's father is a lawyer with the National Police Commission Region 6.

Homicide chief Mario Monilar has ordered a paraffin test to be conducted to determine if it was an actual suicide or an accidental firing.

Valenzuela was among 50 FTP cops from Region 6 who arrived here in Cebu last August 20 as augmentation force for the policemen here in Cebu for the 12th ASEAN Summit. She was assigned to the TMG last December 20.

PRO-7 Director C/Supt. Silverio Alarcio Jr. told The Freeman that Valenzuela will receive either the Medalya ng Papuri or the Medalya ng Kasanayan for her service during the ASEAN Summit.

He also said PRO-7 will assist in the funeral expenses.

"Aayusin natin lahat kasali na duon yung burol, dadalhin natin siya sa kampo para sa funeral service," Alarcio said.

Alarcio reminded the remaining augmentation forces that homesickness and hardships is part of the life of a policeman.

"That's part of our life as a policemen na minsan nadedestino ka sa malayo, saka we allowed them naman to go home eh, but we are looking into it, how come na dumating sa ganyan ang nangyari," Alarcio added. - Flor Z. Perolina and Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP