BACOLOD CITY – A policeman and two civilians were dead, while three others, including two police officers, were wounded following a commotion outside a restobar in Barangay Salvacion, Murcia, Negros Occidental on Friday, March 31.

The fatalities were identified as Corporal Gabby Castillo, a personnel of the 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company (NOCPMFC), and civilians Benedict Maguad of Murcia town and Marvin Guardavilla of La Castellana town.

Wounded were Staff Sgt. Namelou Sapuan, 35, of Murcia, and Staff Sgt. Jaytie Misme, 35, of Valladolid town, who are also members of 2nd NOCPMFC. The restobar owner, Fernando Diaz of Murcia, was also wounded.

Capt. Judesses Catalogo, spokesperson of Negros Occidental police, said that Sapuan asked permission from his team leader to leave their base for a short visit to his family. His two colleagues then got along with him on board a car owned by Castillo.

However, on their way back to the base in Barangay Dulao, Bago City, they decided to have a few drinks in a restobar where they reportedly met their friend named Maguad.

While they were having a drinking session, a commotion occurred outside the restobar. This prompted the policemen to respond.

However, when policemen approached the suspect, Marjune Gallano, to pacify him, the latter allegedly stabbed them. The policemen later shouted to introduce themselves, but Gallano allegedly continued stabbing them.

Castillo suffered a stab wound in the abdomen, while Maguad sustained two stab wounds in the left thigh and left arm, and Guardavilla suffered a stab wound in the chest. They were declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

Sapuan suffered a stab wound in his right armpit, while Misme sustained stab wounds in the back and right arm, and a gunshot wound in his left thigh. Diaz suffered a stab wound in the back.

The two wounded cops are confined in a private hospital here while Diaz was admitted to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here.

Recovered from the crime scene were the issued firearms of Castillo and Misme while the bladed weapon was not recovered.

Major Joeil Reclamado, Murcia police chief, said that drunkenness may have triggered the commotion between Gallano and Guardavilla’s group.

Reclamado said they could not yet determine how Misme was hit by a bullet, but they are looking into a possible accidental firing from his issued firearm.

Meanwhile, Catalogo said that Gallano was arrested in a hot-pursuit operation in Barangay Canlandog, while his nephew, Jojie Gallano, and Venus Grace Catbagan were apprehended in Barangay Blumentritt.

Catalogo said that police are now probing if there were other people involved in the incident who may have ganged up on the policemen.

He said that the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) will conduct a motu proprio investigation to determine what really happened and to assess if the two wounded cops may have an administrative liability.

Early this month, a police chief in Ilog town was also wounded in a knife attack when his team responded to a report on illegal gambling in Barangay Dancalan. One of the three suspects, who reportedly resisted, died, while three others were wounded.