Cop who shot Ouano grandson sorry

CEBU, Philippines - The policeman who shot the nephew of former Mandaue City Mayor Alfredo “Pedong” Ouano yesterday asked for forgiveness and volunteered to shoulder all hospital expenses incurred by the family.

“Nangayo gyud ko ug pasaylo sa pamilya Ouano. Wala gyud koy tuyo nga pusilon to nako,” said PO2 Benjamin Clyde Yu in an interview with The FREEMAN.

Yu is temporarily detained at the Basak Police Station. Basilisa Ouano-Icalina, sister of the former mayor, however, said it is not that easy to forgive the one responsible for shooting her son.

Earlier accounts had it that Yu met with the victim, Adonis Icalina, 19, who was with his girlfriend and his 17-year-old brother at the Caltex Gasoline Station along the national highway in Barangay Labogon.

Yu allegedly made fun of Adonis’ girlfriend by whistling at her, prompting his younger brother to punch him.

Yu said the Icalina brothers allegedly took turns in punching him even if he already identified himself as a policeman, which reportedly prompted him to take out his .9mm berretta and fire a warning shot, without knowing he hit Adonis on the left foot. 

Adonis underwent an operation the other day at the Perpetual Succour Hospital to remove the slug from his foot. Icalina said they want Yu to tell the truth especially that his version of the story had conflicted with the result of the initial investigation.

Earlier, Yu told Senior Supt. Erson Digal that he was off duty at that time, contrary to his statement to The FREEMAN that he simply asked another policeman to replace him because he reportedly was not feeling well.

Yu also said in an earlier interview that he had a few alcoholic drinks around 1am before the incident last Saturday, but yesterday, he said he did not drink even a single bottle of beer. He reportedly just bought noodles from the convenience store of Caltex Star Gasoline Station.

“Wa gyud ko naka-inom kay nagpalit ra man ko didto og noodles,” he said.

The liquor test conducted by a physician at the Mandaue City District Hospital indicated, however, that Yu was “equivocally (+)” or could not been determined whether or not he has taken liquor considering he was “taking candy at the time of the examination.”

“Mangayo siya og pasaylo unya sige lang siya og pamakak. Kung mangayo siya og pasaylo, ang tibuok pamilya Ouano ang mo-decide ana. Pero sa pagkakaron, kung unsa ang silot nga naa sa balaod ang ipahamtang niya, mosunod ra mi,” Icalina said.

Yu, for his part, said he is worried that his 71-year-old mother might already be very worried because she reportedly remains unaware of what happened to him. His worries were aggravated when Icalina said she is bent on filing charges of frustrated murder, physical injuries, and violation of the Commission on Elections gun ban against him.

Yu said he has not engaged the services of a lawyer because he could not afford one.

Yu, single, has been in the police service for seven years. – THE FREEMAN