By Jennifer P. Rendon
Citing emotional stress, a wanted person assaulted two police officers who were about to arrest him.
The incident happened afternoon of March 22, 2021 in Carles, Iloilo.
Despite his resistance, police still arrested Rogelio Pancho, 54, a farmer residing at Barangay Cabilao Grande, Carles, without a scratch on his body.
Around 12:30 p.m. of Monday, Carles police went to Cabilao Grande to serve the arrest against Pancho.
But instead of peacefully yielding, he grabbed a knife and attacked Staff Sergeant Michael Ilanga, an intelligence operative.
Ilanga stumbled while backing off. The suspect was able to hit him on both legs.
Pancho then retreated and locked himself up in his house.
Major Nestor Bacuyag, Carles police chief, said they tried to negotiate with the suspect to surrender.
The police noted that the suspects had at least four knives in his possession. He was holding on two while he hid the others.
The cops later convinced Pancho to surrender.
But as police officers were about to get him, he again resisted, and a scuffle ensued.
It was at that juncture when he bit Police Corporal Godfrey Punsalan on the body before he tried to attack him with a bolo.
Luckily, Punsalan was only hit on the right ring finger.
The arresting officers managed to subdue and brought him to the police station.
The policemen were immediately treated and were out of danger.
It was gathered that Pancho is a respondent to charges of oral defamation in Criminal Case No. 4399-C and threats in CC No. 4400-C.
Judge Kim Oliver Enojas of the 1st MCTC Balasan-Carles issued the arrest warrants on Feb. 4, 2021.
A P3,000 bail for each case was set for his temporary freedom.
Bacuyag said the suspect claimed he has been suffering from emotional stress following the death of his common law wife.
Police are now preparing charges against Pancho for resisting arrests and direct assault to a person in authority.
Meanwhile, Colonel Gilbert Gorero, Iloilo police chief, lauded the two arresting officers for ensuring the safety of the suspect despite the latter’s aggression.
“They were in a dangerous situation. Their lives were threatened but they opted to observe maximum tolerance. And they prevailed,” Gorero said.
Relative to that, the Iloilo top cop has enjoined IPPO personnel to always be extra cautious during implementation of arrest warrants.
