By JEN BAYLON
Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) director, Brigadier General Jack Wanky ordered a thorough investigation into the death of a police officer who was allegedly shot by his seven-year-old son in Negros Occidental’s Sagay City.
Police Staff Sergeant Lernie Alacha, assigned to the Sagay City Police Station, was allegedly killed by his son inside their home in the city’s Barangay Andres Bonifacio on Saturday afternoon, April 27.
In a radio interview yesterday, Wanky urged the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) and the Sagay City Police Station to conduct a thorough and proper investigation into the killing, as he doubts that a seven-year-old could kill his own father.
The PRO-6 director emphasized the need to focus on the possible angle of suicide.
“Indi pa klaro ang circumstances sang insidente, kay pwede mo pa makita ang anggulo sang pag-suicide,” Wanky said in the interview.
“Kun lantawon mo na da, ang pinakadasig nga excuse ang bata, kay indi [siya] pwede ma-prosecute ukon makasuhan,” he added.
Wanky also urged local police to conduct a paraffin test on the victim’s family members and persons of interest in the shooting incident.
The Sagay police said a paraffin test had already been conducted on the family members to see if they were handling any firearms during the incident.
An initial police investigation revealed that 44-year-old Alacha was arguing with his live-in partner, 33-year-old Irene Dayanan, inside the bedroom due to jealousy.
NOCPPO spokesperson Police Captain Judesses Catalogo said the tension between the couple intensified when Alacha learned that some of her followers on TikTok had been engaging with his live-in partner.
Triggered by the conflict, their seven-year-old son retrieved his father’s service firearm, a 9mm caliber pistol, stored in a plastic box outside the couple’s room, and allegedly shot his father in the neck.
Alacha was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.
Catalogo said the minor was placed under the custody of the Women and Children’s Protection Desk of the Sagay police.
The local police are currently conducting an investigation to determine the motive behind the incident./JB, WDJ