Man, 66, runs amuck, killed by cop in Negros Occidental

BY GLAZYL MASCULINO

BACOLOD CITY – A 66-year-old man, who ran amuck, was shot dead by a policeman whom he tried to hack in Barangay 13, Victorias City, Negros Occidental on Thursday.

Police identified the fatality as Hernani Pimentel, a resident of Barangay 11, who was suffering from nervous breakdown.

Police Lt. Col. Eduardo Corpuz, Victorias City police chief, said residents in the area called for police assistance after Pimentel allegedly harassed rescuers, who were supposed to treat his wound after he reportedly slit his neck.

Police Master Sgt. Valentin Cerdeña, who is assigned at Villa Victorias Substation, responded to the report and tried to talk to Pimentel, who was armed with a bolo, Corpuz said.

However, Pimentel reportedly attacked the police officer, who was continuously trying to calm him down.

Corpuz said the bolo hit the policeman’s holster, prompting him to shoot Pimentel to neutralize him.

Corpuz said the policeman continued pacifying Pimentel, but the latter did not listen and continued attacking him until he fell on the ground.

The cop rolled over the street to avoid the attacks, Corpuz said. A video showing portion of the incident circulated online.

Corpuz said that Cerdeña shot Pimentel four to six times because of imminent danger.

Pimentel was brought to a hospital, where he was declared dead. He will be subjected to a postmortem examination to determine the number of gunshot wounds he sustained.

Corpuz said it’s possible that Pimentel was not able to take his medicine, thus he acted violently.

Meanwhile, Corpuz said that Cerdeña was disarmed and restricted at the police station as part of the standard operating procedure to prevent him from influencing the investigation.

For his part, Cerdeña said that he knew Pimentel, but the latter did not listen to him and kept on attacking him, which put him in danger.

Cerdeña said that he exercised maximum tolerance but he also needed to protect himself, adding that he is ready to face probe.