• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Responding to the call of duty cost the life of a policeman, and resulted in injuries to his two companions.
PCpl. Gabby Castillo succumbed to a stab wound in his abdomen and was declared dead on arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City, police said.
Two other civilians were identified by the police as Benedict Maguad and Marvin Guardavilla, also died in the same hospital.
Initial police investigations showed that Castillo and his two companions, PSSgt. Namelou Sapuan, and PSSgt. Jaytie Misme, all in civilian clothes, were inside the Handy’s Restobar in Brgy. Salvacion, Murcia, Negros Occidental, at about 1 a.m. yesterday, and responded to a commotion outside the restobar, which involved two civilians identified as Marjune Gallano and Marvin Guardavilla.
While the officers were attempting to pacify the two civilians, Gallano stabbed Guardavilla in the right chest, police investigations further showed.
PMaj. Marc Joeil Reclamado, Murcia police chief, disclosed that Gallano also attacked and stabbed PCpl. Castillo, PSSgt. Sapuan and PSSgt. Misme, who all sustained stab wounds.
Misme also incurred a gunshot wound in his left thigh, which Reclamado believes may have been caused by accidental firing.
Also injured in the incident was Fernando Diaz, owner of the restobar, who was also stabbed in the back.
Recovered from the scene of incident were two the issued 9mm pistols of Castillo and Misme.
Reclamado said follow up operations conducted by the Murcia police led to the arrest of Marvin and Jojie Gallano, both residents of Brgy. Canlandog, Murcia, and Ching Jingco, of Brgy. Zone 1, also in Murcia.
Sapuan and Misme, who are being treated at the Riverside Medical Center, are now in stable condition, while Diaz is now confined at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, all in Bacolod City.
The three suspects are detained at the Murcia police jail.*
