Cop kills detainee inside police jail

CEBU, Philippines - It never pays to be drunk, especially if you have a violent streak and you are already in detention at a police station.

You could get killed, which is precisely what happened to Mark Anthony Generali, an unmarried 19-year-old jobless resident of MacArthur Boulevard.

Generali was shot between the eyes by PO2 Ramil Tanggol right inside the Waterfront Police Station early morning yesterday in what the police say was the middle of a scuffle for the latter’s gun.

Generali was earlier arrested shortly after midnight of Saturday following a complaint by his neighbor in MacArthur Boulevard, a certain Asuncion Rosal, who claimed she got beaten up by Generali who was drunk at the time.

According to police accounts, Generali was so drunk he did not have the sense to submit himself peacefully and instead tried to fight off PO1 Arman Pacana who had come to arrest him.

Eventually subdued, Generali was brought to the Waterfront Police Station in what normally would have been his detention for safekeeping consideting his situation.

But even at the station, Generali reportedly proved to be very difficult to deal with, prompting the police to keep him alone in another cell away from the other detainees.

PO2 Michael Codaste of Cebu City Homicide Section said that at around 2:30 in the morning of Sunday, PO2 Tanggol, for still unknown reasons, opened the cell of Genarali and a scuffle ensued, allegedly because Generali tried to grab the 9mm pistol tucked in the waist of Tanggol.

According to the police version of the incident, a shot rang out as the two fought for possession of the gun, and Generali slumped to the floor with a gunshot would right between his eyes.

Police tried to take Generali to the Cebu City Medical Center but he did not make it there alive.

Tanggol immediately surrendered to Waterfront Police chief Chief Inspector Aurelio Sanchez who promptly disarmed him.

Cebu City Police Homicide Section Chief Senior Inspector Mario Monilar said charges will be filed against Tanggol today even as an investigation is already underway.

Tanggol is being detained at the Cebu City Police Headquarters stockade pending results of the investigation.

Tanggol has asked to be provided with a lawyer.

Cebu City police chief Senior Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador wants to find out if Tanggol had not been negligent in his duty. If he was, Comendador said the policeman could face administrative charges in addition to the other charges he may be facing.

Pending results of the investigation, Comendador cautioned all his men to be extra careful and prudent when dealing with drunken persons.

Friends of Tanggol say the policeman has no derogatory record and is not known to easily get mad.

Tanggol refused to issue a statement when asked by The Freeman. - with Guam Logroño/JST (THE FREEMAN)