Mayor’s cop-son linked to Iloilo shooting

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – A son of a municipal mayor in Iloilo has been tagged in a shooting incident that left a man wounded in Sara town last Saturday.

The shooting incident reportedly involving Senior Police Officer 1 Ricky Salcedo, son of Sara Mayor Neptali Salcedo, occurred in front of a church in the town.            

Town police chief Senior Inspector Gilbert Archide claimed the incident was a case of “accidental firing.”

Salcedo, who is assigned at the police regional headquarters support group (RHSG) based at Camp Delgado in Iloilo City, was standing in front of a church when he saw a certain Jonathan Cabileno walking toward him.

Archide said Cabileno was allegedly suffering from a mental illness.

Salcedo said he sensed danger, as Cabileno appeared to be pulling something out of his jacket’s pocket.

Salcedo said he was pulling out his firearm as he was warning Cabileno to stop when the gun went off, hitting the latter in the leg.

Salcedo brought Cabileno to the Sara District Hospital for treatment before surrendering to the municipal police station. He was not detained, as the victim’s family was not pursuing charges.

Superintendent Louis Garong, RHSG chief, said his office would investigate the incident.

Sources said Salcedo was recommended for inclusion in the list of officers who have gone absent without official leave after he reportedly failed to report to work for about a month.