By Jennifer P. Rendon
A police official is in hot water for allegedly firing his gun inside a PNP camp in Sara, Iloilo afternoon of Oct 8, 2020.
In a press statement, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) said it is investigating the alleged indiscriminate gun discharge committed by Police Major Terrence Paul Sta. Ana inside the Regional Special Training Unit 6 (RSTU-6) compound, which is located at the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company in Sara town.
Sta. Ana is the assistant chief of the Regional Logistics and Research Development Division (RLDDD) based in PRO-6 headquarters in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City.
Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said that they received reports that Sta. Ana was under the influence of liquor when he indiscriminately fired his firearm several times.
Immediately following the incident, Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, ordered Colonel Ross Alvarado, PRO-6 deputy regional director for operations, and the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division to oversee the investigation of the incident.
Malong said that Sta. Ana is now under camp restriction. He already turned over his firearm to the RLDDD.
The firearm will be submitted for ballistics examination.
Meanwhile, Colonel Gilbert Gorero, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) officer-in-charge, confirmed that Police Major Jose Nemias Pamplona, Sara Police Chief, is now investigating the incident.
He also ordered RSTU-6 personnel assigned in the RSTU Compound to submit their incident report to support the investigation being conducted by Sara MPS.
After the initial investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Regional Internal Affairs Service 6 as stated under NAPOLCOM Memorandum Circular 2016-002 that IAS shall conduct motu proprio investigation on incidents where police personnel discharges firearms [Rule 6, Section 1 (a)].
“Major Sta. Ana will face the consequences of his actions. Police Regional Office 6 does not tolerate any misconduct of its personnel and with our intensified efforts on internal cleansing; we will ensure a fair conduct of investigation even if it involves one of our Commissioned Officers,” Malong said.
Meanwhile, in a report, Sta. Ana allegedly admitted to have fired his gun twice after he got irked by the security protocol implemented inside the camp.
He reportedly admitted that it was a wrong move done out of impulse.
He, however, did not admit that he was drunk when the incident happened.
(Photo from Shutterstock)
