Policeman denies shooting vendor

CEBU, Philippines - SPO2 Cresente Dacillo of the Punta Police Station in Cebu City denied he killed a street vendor.

During his arraignment last Friday, Dacillo pleaded not guilty to the homicide case before Judge Sylva Paderanga of Regional Trial Court Branch 16.

Dacillo was assisted by his counsel, lawyer Filmore Gomos. The arraignment was scheduled at 8:30 in the morning.

Earlier, the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office elevated the case to the court after finding probable cause. Dacillo was accused of killing Primo Gallego Jr., a resident of Sitio Upper Laguna, Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City.

Based on the account of eye witness Melvin Ebrado, 41, a resident if Sitio Upper Laguna, said he saw the accused shot the victim on March 19, 2012 at around 5:55 p.m.

“I was about to buy feeds for my chickens at the store owned by a policeman whom I came to know as SPO2 Cresente Dacillo in Sitio Laguna, Barangay Bulacao when I saw a friend named Primo Gallego Jr. bought a can of sardines at the said store,” he said.

Ebrado added he saw the accused came out of the gate and called the victim, who then turned. The accused shot the victim twice. He said he heard the wife of the accused asking why he killed the vendor.

Ebrado added that contrary to the statement of the accused, the victim had no gun as he was not wearing any shirt at that time. In the joint-affidavit of the police officers, they said they responded to a shooting incident and found the male victim wearing only short pants. They said they recovered a .38 caliber revolver with six live ammunitions underneath the victim’s body.

The police said the accused voluntarily surrendered to the Pardo Police Station. They added that they were told by him that he was forced to shoot the victim for self defense after the latter attempted to shoot him using a .38 caliber revolver.

Meanwhile, the accused earlier told the media that if he had any intention to kill he would have done so at another place and not in front of their house.

He claimed that he had no misunderstanding with the victim and he never knew the victim. - THE FREEMAN