Cop charged for death of man who went berserk

CEBU, Philippines - A police officer was indicted for killing a “swordsman” who allegedly went berserk in Barangay Tejero more than two years ago.

Police Officer 2 Remos Goco, assigned at the Mabolo Police Station, was charged with homicide before the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City after the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices found probable cause against him in the killing of Samuel Dotillos on September 22, 2009.

Graft investigator Katherine Legarda-Pajaron recommended P40,000 bail for Goco’s temporary liberty.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the victim’s wife, Leticia, who accused the police officer of unreasonably killing her husband.

Letecia said that based on the report submitted to the city director, the circumstances prior to Goco’s shooting her husband does not require the use of lethal force because their lives were not in danger.

According to the report, the barangay tanods of Tejero sought the assistance of the police because a person allegedly carrying samurai was running amok.

The tanods first claimed they asked the man to explain why he was carrying a sword but the latter went berserk.

Goco was among the responding policemen from Mabolo police station. Goco claimed they were forced to shoot Dotillos because he was already trying to hack them.

Goco’s fellow officer, PO2 Leo Gallego, shot the victim at the hands after he stabbed the patrol car with his sword. Gallego however was cleared of the criminal complaint.

Letecia said Goco should not have fired fatal shots at her husband because their lives were never in danger.

“The extreme action of Goco in firing several shots to the body of the victim was borne not by danger to life or limb but of sheer panic and poor judgment in handling the situation. Goco could have retreated to a much safer distance to fire his gun in order to neutralize the victim without necessarily ending his life,” reads the anti-graft office resolution finding probable cause against Goco. (FREEMAN)