BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – A policeman is being hunted by his fellow police officers for shooting a security guard in a lodging house on Hechanova St., Brgy. Nabitasan, La Paz district.
PO3 Anthony Pandagani of the Pavia, Iloilo police station fled after shooting 23-yeard-old security guard Henry Biana of Katrina Lodge.
The incident happened around 1:15 a.m. yesterday while Pandagani, 32, was arguing with his woman companion and the lodge’s cashier over his unpaid bills.
According to Chief Insp. Efren Lozada, La Paz police chief, Pandagani refused to pay his lodging house bill amounting to P170.
Initial investigation of the La Paz police station showed that Pandagani was with three male friends and four women. They entered rooms in pairs – Rooms 7, 81, 9 and 33.
After a few minutes, however, Pandagani informed the cashier he was leaving. He and his woman companion apparently had a misunderstanding and continued their argument in front of the cashier.
Biana checked what the commotion was about at the cashier’s office.
An altercation ensued between the cop and the guard.
Biana sustained a gunshot wound on his right arm from a .45 pistol.
Pandagani quickly boarded a taxi and left.
Biana, a resident of Brgy. Carmelo, Banate, Iloilo, was taken to the West Visayas State University Hospital.
Iloilo police director, Senior Supt. Cornelio Salinas directed Senior Insp. Rey Legaspi, Pavia police chief, to conduct a manhunt operation and convince Pandagani to surrender.
Pandagani, married, is a resident of Brgy. Sambag, Jaro district.
Salinas also ordered Legaspi to relieve Pandagani and detail him at the Iloilo Police Provincial Office while an investigation is being done.
Pandagani faces criminal and administrative charges./PN
