A policeman was found lying lifeless in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound in his head in Barangay Martilo, La Libertad town in Negros Oriental on Saturday morning, December 30, 2023. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The death of a policeman who was found with a severe gunshot wound on his head in Negros Oriental on Saturday morning, December 30, 2023, was allegedly caused by his own gun accidentally firing.
This was according to the investigation of the Negros Oriental police on the death of Police Staff Sergeant John Kelly N. Catedral.
READ: Policeman shot in the head in Negros Oriental
How accidental firing happened
A police report showed that Catedral was driving his scooter on his way to La Libertad Proper when the fatal accident happened.
The accident took place at around 9:30 a.m. along the national highway in Sitio Looc, Barangay Martilio, La Libertad town in Negros Oriental.
Cop fixing his Galil assault rifle
Eyewitnesses reportedly told police that the police officer stopped for a while by the side of the road to fix his issued long firearm which is a Galil assault rifle.
The firearm was allegedly placed at the stepboard of the scooter, said the report.
READ: PRO-7 chief to cops: Be diligent in handling firearms
Gunshot wound on the head
However, witnesses claimed to hear a single burst of gunfire all of a sudden and found that Catedral has fallen to the ground.
Responding officers arrived at the scene and found the lifeless Catedral lying beside his scooter with a severe gunshot wound on his head.
Police recovered from underneath Catedral’s scooter an empty cartridge of 5.56 caliber rifle.
Policeman assigned to La Libertad Police Station
The report said that the policeman’s issued firearms had been secured and would be processed by Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO).
Catedral is a member of the Philippine National Police (PNP) assigned at the La Libertad Police Station.
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