BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – The police chief of Igbaras, Iloilo charged with murder voluntarily surrendered to Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director.
“A professional police officer” was how Salinas described Inspector Rey Castro.
“Instead of hiding, he submitted himself to his fellow police officer to face the complaint filed against him,” said Salinas.
Judge Rene Hortillo of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 68 issued Castro’s arrest warrant.
Castro was the deputy chief of police in Dumangas, Iloilo when charged with murder together with his investigator, Police Office 3 Aaron Gaton.
They were accused of shooting poultry dealer Pinky Decolongon on Jan. 2, 2014 at the Dumangas public market.
Gaton surrendered to Salinas Friday last week. He is now detained at the Iloilo Provincial Integrated Jail in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo.
The shooting happened around 11 a.m., according to former Dumangas police chief, Senior Inspector Jonathan Pinuela.
Castro and Gaton had received information that a man with a gun was making trouble at the meat section of the public market.
Since Castro was the officer of the day and Gaton was duty investigator, they proceeded to the market. They asked Decolongon to calm down and surrender his firearm.
“But instead of surrendering,” Pinuela said, “Decolongon fired at our men who luckily were not hit.”
To immobilize Decolongon, Castro shot him on the left thigh.
Decolongon reportedly tried to shoot the two policemen again but Castro was quick enough to shoot the poultry dealer with his .9mm pistol.
Decolongon died of a gunshot wound on the chest.
Recovered from Decolongon was a .45 pistol.
“Our men tried to defend themselves and tried to arrest the subject person, however, they were shot at. Thus, our police fought back. The supposed target of our men was the shoulder but since Decolongon was moving, he was accidentally hit on the chest,” said Salinas.
Castro was remitted to the Iloilo Provincial Integrated Jail after he surrendered./PN
