Policeman fires gun, hits boy, 13

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman assigned to the aviation security group at the Mactan Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City was arrested yesterday afternoon after firing his service firearm during a fistfight with a neighbor, and hitting a 13-year-old boy at Zone Tangkong in barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City.

PO1 Carlito Donque was arrested by men from the Investigative and Detective Management Bureau (IDMB) after taking Kevin Jay Tuñacao yesterday afternoon to the Mandaue City Hospital.

The police said Donque was already at odds with neighbor Balbino dela Cruz who had accused him of spraying something into his pet cat's eyes.

Cruz dared Donque, who had just arrived from work at around 1:45 p.m. yesterday afternoon, to a fistfight.

A certain Lito Tuñacao, the father of the 13-year-old boy tried to pacify them.

But the two men did not heed him and it was at this point that Donque took his service firearm, aimed it to the ground, and fired a warning shot.      But the bullet ricocheted and hit the boy's upper back.

Donque together with the boy's parents and neighbors took the boy to the Mandaue City Hospital and it was at this point that he was arrested by PO3 Dionisio Dela Peña of the IDMB.

Dela Peña said the boy was out of danger.

A case of indiscriminate firing resulting to physical injuries will be filed against Donque who is temporarily detained at the police station 1.  (FREEMAN)