Police in the municipality of Loboc fired warning shots at a vehicle owned by vice mayoral candidate Councilor Erwin Bacquial in Barangay Camayan yesterday, eve of the election.
No one was hurt during the incident including Bacquial who was not present during the said shooting.
The Loboc police reportedly fired warning shots to stop the councilor’s Mitsubishi Montero without sufficient reason for the use of force.
According to Bacquial’s group, the vehicle only backed up and left quickly when it drew the police to stop the sports utility vehicle (SUV).
Bacquial indicated that bullets rained down on the vehicle’s vicinity, noting that 37 spent shells were found in the area of the incident.
He added that a few hours after the shooting Loboc Chief of Police P/Inspector Sam Dacullo apologized for the incident which he said was caused by a miscommunication.
Based on the blotter at the Loboc Police according to PO2 Daryl Yecyec, the police chief saw armed men inside the SUVÂ which caused the police to flag down the vehicle but it sped away instead, prompting Dacullo to fire his weapon.
It was also reported that the same vehicle was used by armed men who harassed a lone victim identified as Michael Mori who firmly attested to the allegation.
The case has reached the Bohol Provincial Police Office and the group will conduct further investigation to find out how the incident happened and what caused it, Police Superintendent Ricky Delilis public information officer of the BPPO said. (with reports from Allen Doydora)