3 cops probed for failing to nab mayor’s brother in Rosales mall shooting

By Eva Visperas and LiezleBasaInigo

ROSALES, Pangasinan – Three members of the provincial police office have been ordered investigated for not arresting a gunman--  brother of this town’s mayor ,who fired shots in front of a shopping mall here Dec. 21.

The incident was caught on video and uploaded on the Internet by lawyer Genaro Mariñas.

Mariñas said he was compelled to document the incident when he saw the police officers doing nothing as Julio Pagador pointed a gun at the crowd.

Senior Supt. Reynaldo Biay, officer-in-charge of the Pangsinan police, identified the lawmen as Police Officer 3 Victor Natividad and PO1s Arnold Sumangil Jr. and Rolando Miniano.

The video showed Pagador, brother of this town's Mayor Susan Pagador-Casareno, brandishing a Cal. 45 pistol in front of the lawmen.

The officers reportedly ignored Pagador and walked away from him.

Pagador, who was reportedly drunk, fired shots, hitting the roof of the mall and sending shoppers and bystanders scampering to safety.

Biay said the video showed the officers committed lapses.

“I ordered an investigation. There will be summary hearings to avoid a repeat of the incident,” he said.

Results of the investigation will be submitted to the police regional director, who will determine the penalties to be meted on the officers, Biay added.

The three officers attended a case conference Wednesday at the provincial police office in Lingayen town.

“There is a clear case of administrative lapses committed by the police officers,” said Supt. Ferdinand de Asis, spokesman for provincial police office.

De Asis said they are checking whether Pagador’s gun is licensed. Investigators recovered four bullet shells at the scene.

Chief Insp. Randy Arellano, town police chief, may also be held liable, De Asis said.

Charges of grave threats, alarm and scandal, assault upon a person in authority and illegal possession of firearms were filed against Pagador.

Meanwhile, another report said video footage of the gun-toting Pagador, 55, married, a municipal hall employee and resident of Barangay Tomana East, here, had been posted on social networking sites and gone viral on the Internet overnight.

The report said Pagador was shot and seriously wounded by police here after he, for still unknown reasons, threatened and harassed passersby with his .45-caliber pistol in Barangay Carmen West Dec. 21.

Senior Supt. Reynaldo Biay, Pangasinan Police Provincial Office officer-in-charge, said Pagador had his gun in hand and was harassing passersby on the national road around 5:30 p.m. that Sunday when police responded.

The report quoted Senior Insp. QuintinCasabar, Jr. as saying the first responder was Natividad, Jr. who reportedly tried to persuade the suspect to surrender.

However, while Natividad was trying to reason out with Pagador,, he suddenly fired a shot sending passersby scampering to safety.

At this juncture, Natividad was reportedly forced to shoot Pagador once with his 9mm pistol.

Subdued, Pagador was reportedly disarmed and then immediately rushed to the nearby Del Carmen Hospital.

The Cal. 45 pistol seized from him still had a live bullet in its chamber and five more in the magazine.