2 Abra cops dead in shooting incident over 'misunderstanding'

Two cops died in a shooting incident at the provincial EOD and canine unit in Bangued, Abra due to a misunderstanding on November 10, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.

PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño said the suspect, a police lieutenant, was speculating that the victim, a police staff sergeant, reported the former to the regional authorities for going to work drunk. 

“Ang motibo ay lumalabas na ang suspect ay nagre-responde sa kanilang trabaho na diumano ito ay nakainom o lasing at ang pagkakataon na pinatawag ang suspect natin…sa region. So nagkaroon sila ng misunderstanding,” Tuaño said.

(The motive appears to be that the suspect was responding to their work allegedly drunk and that he was summoned by regional authorities. So they had a misunderstanding.)

According to the PNP spokesperson, the police staff sergeant was brushing his teeth when shot by the police lieutenant four times. 

Another cop, a police senior master sergeant, heard the gunshots and checked what was happening. But, he was also shot by the police lieutenant.

The police senior master sergeant retaliated and shot the police lieutenant. 

Tuaño said the police staff sergeant and the police lieutenant were brought to the hospital but were declared dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, the police senior master sergeant who shot the police lieutenant immediately surrendered to authorities, according to Tuaño.

The cop will face a murder complaint, according to the PNP official. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News