MANILA, Philippines — An off-duty police officer is in hot water for shooting a man during a scuffle in Brgy. Greater Lagro, Quezon City, the city government disclosed Thursday.
According to a statement issued through the city's information office, Police Senior Master Sergeant Chester Garchitorena is now facing charges of grave misconduct before the Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board over an incident on Feb. 18, 2022.
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Based on his complaint filed on Mar. 18, 2022, complainant Florose Buenafe said he and his friends were drinking at Haring Constantino St. when a sedan carrying Garchitorena’s associates arrived. Out of the blue, Garchitorena’s friends started a melee while the policeman served as a lookout while aboard his parked vehicle nearby.
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When the brawl started, Garchitorena, assigned with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the PNP's national headquarters in Camp Crame, called the Barangay Public Safety Officers and walked with them heading to the place of the scuffle.
During the altercation, a member of the BPSO witnessed Garchitorena shoot Buenafe in his left leg.
Lawyer Rafael Calinisan, PLEB Executive Officer, said they found probable cause against Garchitorena for using a gun during the melee while off-duty, a violation of the Commission on Elections’ gun ban.
"Since policemen have a sworn duty to be the protectors of the people, necessarily, more is expected from them. Nothing less than the truth must come out," Calinisan told Philstar.com in a text message.
Calinisan said violation of the Omnibus Elections Code constitutes grave misconduct under Napolcom Memorandum Circular 2016 - 002. He vowed to resolve the case "with fairness and immediacy."
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said she was “frustrated to hear that some of our police officers take part in incidents that disturb the peace of our city.”