LEGAZPI CITY – A police intelligence officer died when his service pistol reportedly accidentally fell and went off while preparing his uniform and paraphernalia at his residence in Mobo, Masbate province Thursday night.
The police officer was identified as Lt. Col. Steve dela Rosa, Police Intelligence Unit (PIU) chief of the Masbate police provincial office, according to Maj. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 (Bicol), in a report on Friday.
At around 10:45 p.m., the victim was said to be in his room at their house in Barangay Umabay Exterior and was cleaning his firearm of still undetermined caliber when the gun suddenly fell and exploded, hitting him in the stomach.
"The victim was rushed to Masbate Medical Mission Group Hospital Service Cooperative but died upon reaching the hospital," the report said.
Dela Rosa’s wife told the police that while her husband was in the room, she suddenly heard a burst of gunfire and as she entered, saw him sprawled on the floor, bleeding.
Police investigators have yet to submit a report on whether the incident was an accident or not.
On Thursday afternoon, Dela Rosa, along with anti-illegal drug operatives, nabbed Rolan Duano, 40, of Barangay Tugbo in Masbate City, and seized from him P216,000 worth of suspected shabu during a drug sting in Mobo town.
The suspect yielded 60 grams of shabu, drug paraphernalia, a motorcycle, and cash amounting to P3,540.
The drug peddler is tagged as a high-value target (HVT) who was recently released from the National Bilibid Prisons and detained at the town police custodial facility while awaiting the filing of charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.