The automatic relief of Chief Inspector Leroy Rapiz was ordered by Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) regional director Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas based on the recommendation of Senior Supt. Ricardo De la Paz, provincial director of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO).
Rapiz will temporarily staying at the PRO-6 headquarters in Camp Delgado, while the Estancia incident is being investigated.
Cuevas likewise ordered the 6th Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS-6) and the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID) to conduct an investigation on the incident.
Report reaching the office of PRO-6 regional director said Rapiz?s men were armed with high-powered firearms during that incident.
It was learned that Chief Insp. Rapiz and his men escorted Iloilo Fifth District Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. who was invited by the officials of Barangay San Roque in their fiesta celebration.
According to San Roque Punong Barangay Edgar Gonzales, the near shootout happened when Mayor Mosqueda and his group who were also invited during the occasion entered the barangay hall. Rapiz reportedly greeted the mayor, saying ?Good afternoon, sir?. But Mosqueda retorted, ?Nandito ka pala, palabasin niyo to.?
At this juncture, a commotion erupted between Rapiz and Mosqueda that saw the two drawing their guns to the surprise of visitors and fiesta patrons who scampered for their safety.
The cool-headed congressman Tupas Jr. immediately pacified them and urged Rapiz to leave the barangay hall.
While outside, the emotional Rapiz was overheard to have dared Mosqueda to come out of the barangay hall for a gun duel. Rep. Tupas intervened anew which averted the would-be bloody incident.
Gonzales said there was a misunderstanding between Mosqueda and Rapiz in the past, though he declined to elaborate their animosity until they crossed path during the fiesta celebration in that barangay where the mayor confronted the police officer that nearly resulted in a shootout.
Meanwhile, Mosqueda has already submitted his report to the IPPO headquarters based in Camp Sumagaysay in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo for the purpose of an investigation.

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