ILOILO City – A police officer had been shot by a drunken man in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo district on Friday night.
Police Officer 1 John Rey Sadsad was trying to pacify an unruly Joel Tugado when the latter fired at him, investigation showed.
Sadsad and Tugado both lived in that barangay.
Sadsad, a patrol officer of the municipal police station in Oton, Iloilo, sustained a gunshot wound above his right eyebrow.
He was confined at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district.
Prior to the shooting, Tugado and his live-in partner had a fight over a family problem at 10 p.m., said Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, city police director, citing investigation.
Tugado then left their house and headed to a nearby store to drink alcoholic beverage, Biñas said.
When he got drunk, Tugado drew a .22 revolver from his waist and threatened to shoot other customers.
One of the customers sought help from Sadsad, who already arrived home from work at the time.
Sadsad went to the store where Tugado was. After introducing himself as a police officer and telling Tugado to calm down, the latter shot him, investigation showed.
Tugado fled after the incident. Police launched a manhunt against the suspect, who they believed was hiding in the house of a relative in the municipality of Dumangas.
Biñas said they have received information that Tugado wanted to surrender.
“I advise the suspect to surrender. I know he is armed. He should not fight back,” said the ICPO director./PN
