CEBU CITY – A police officer was found dead inside the barracks of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-Central Visayas (RMFB 7) in Sibonga town, Cebu province on All Souls’ Day.
The fatality was identified as Patrolman Edgardo Silva, 32.
Silva, a native of Tanjay, Negros Oriental, bore a bullet wound in the temple when he was found by a fellow policeman inside their barracks at 4:50 p.m. on Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Ronan Claravall, RMFB 7 commander, said an investigation is ongoing to determine whether there was foul play in Silva’s death.
He said Silva was holding his service firearm, a 9mm caliber pistol, on the top of his chest with his right hand when he was found lying unconscious on a pile of plywood.
Claravall, in his report to the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO 7), said that before Silva was found dead, he was seen by another RMFB 7 operative, Patrolman Rafaelito Mahinay, dry firing inside the barracks.
Moments later, Mahinay was shocked to see Silva slumped inside the barracks bloodied. "We did not hear gunshots prior to the discovery," said Claravall.
Claravall said they did not notice something unusual with Silva before the incident.
Silva was assigned to RMFB 7 three years ago, said Clavarall.
Claravall said that the policeman was reportedly dealing with some personal problems. "According to his live-in partner, may dinaramdam siya (something was bothering him)," said Claravall.
Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba, chief of PRO 7, said he has instructed the RMFB 7 to closely coordinate with the Sibonga police station for the conduct of the investigation.
"We entertain all angles here but of course, we give merit to the conduct of the investigation. We will take it from there," Alba said.