Cop’s gun accidentally goes off: 3-yr-old boy killed, 7-month pregnant woman wounded

A three-year-old boy was killed and a seven-month pregnant woman was wounded after the gun of a policeman accidentally went-off as he was about to go out of his house at sitio Quadrangle in barangay Lorega-San Miguel yesterday noon.

The boy, identified as Shane Kent Bel Lonzaga, was hit in the chest while sleeping on a bamboo couch at the ground floor of the house that his mother, Vilma Entera, has been renting. 

The pregnant woman, 34-year-old Brenda Siarez, was hit in her left leg. She has been residing in the second floor of the rented house and is a live-in partner of the policeman, PO3 Benjamin Herbias.

Herbias, assigned to the Service Security Group, surrendered himself to his superior officer, Sr. Insp. Sarajane Recla, and the .357 caliber snubnose revolver that accidentally went off.

Homicide investigator, SPO4 Alex Dacua, yesterday said that Herbias was about to report for duty at that time and was holding the gun that he intended to put inside his bag when Siarez accidentally bumped his hand that caused him to squeeze, instinctively, the gun’s trigger.

The bullet hit Siarez in the leg sending her limping in pain and down on the floor. This prompted Herbias to carry her downstairs to bring her to the hospital. As soon as they reached the ground floor, however, Herbias found out that the bullet pierced through the floor and hit the boy downstairs.

The boy’s mother was screaming for help so Herbias asked her to bring her son quickly to the hospital because he would also be taking Siarez to another hospital. The boy died before reaching the Cebu City Medical Center while Siarez was discharged from Chong Hua after physicians declared her out of danger.

Entera told the police that she was with her son at the ground floor when they heard a single gunfire from the second floor. Then she noticed blood oozing out of the chest of her sleeping son, prompting her to scream.

City Police director, Sr. Supt. Patrociño Comendador, ordered Herbias disarmed and put in custody by his superiors at the SSG while criminal and administrative charges against him are being prepared. Herbias could be charged administratively for serious grave misconduct, said Comendador.

Comendador disclosed that Herbias won a shooting competition a few months ago and became a champion in the revolver category. His skill in gun safety made him a range officer of the CCPO firing range and some private firing ranges in Metro Cebu, the police official said.

Comendador believed that what happened was purely accident. “He is more than capable and knowledgeable in safe handling of firearms. He knows what to do considering that he is a range officer but accidents do happen.”

Herbias was not available for comment on the incident. — Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE