BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – Just a warning shot. There was no intention to kill anyone.
Or so claimed SPO1 Glenn Esguerra, the policeman that a barangay kagawad of San Pedro, Molo district said tried to shoot him on Sunday.
Esguerra, 47, surrendered to Senior Supt. Ruperto Floro, city police director. He denied trying to shoot 46-year-old Rhomar Martirez.
Now detained at the police station of Molo, Esguerra said he fired his gun to prevent people from attacking him during an argument with three motorists outside Martirez’s house in Brgy. San Pedro around 2:30 a.m. on May 25.
If Esguerra were to be believed, he pointed his gun on the ground and not in the direction of Martirez, president of the association of barangay councilmen in the city.
Investigation showed, however, that a bullet hit the gate of Martirez’s house.
Esguerra, assigned at the city hall, claimed he chided the three motorists because they were “drag racing.”
At the time of the shooting, Esguerra was off-duty.
Martirez told the police he was awakened by Esguerra’s loud voice outside his house past midnight on Sunday.
The policeman was arguing with three motorists, he said.
Martirez went out of the house, asked what was wrong, and chided Esguerra for disturbing the sleeping residents.
If Martirez were to be believed, Esguerra threatened to shoot him.
As he was returning to his house, Martirez said, he heard a burst of gunfire.
Esguerra left.
Martirez said the policeman fired his gun three more times as he was leaving. Esguerra, however, denied this.
Responding Molo policemen recovered three empty shells of a caliber .45 pistol a few meters away from Martirez’s house.
Martirez said he will file an attempted homicide case against Esguerra.
Floro ordered the Molo police to conduct an investigation.
An administrative case for grave misconduct may also be filed against Esguerra.
If proven guilty, Esguerra could be dismissed from the service./PN
