The pedicab driver who was killed Tuesday may have been mistaken for a notorious holdup suspect.
Five days before the killing, policemen were looking for a certain Rolly, a notorious holdup suspect allegedly hiding in the barangay, according to two residents who asked not to be named.
“Mga ilang araw bago ‘yon, may mga pulis na nag-iikot dito kasi may hinahunting na sila noon na holdaper dito sa looban, si Rolly. Kaso si Rolly, mga ilang linggo na ‘yon nagtatago. Hindi namin alam ‘yong bahay niya at kung saan ‘yon nagtago,” said the unnamed resident.
Eric Sison, 22, was gunned down by three policemen following a chase in Barangay 43 in Pasay City. He sustained 14 gunshot wounds in different parts of the body.
Sison was reportedly surrendering before he was killed inside the house of their neighbor where he sought refuge.
Police cordoned off the crime scene and did not allow anyone to enter, including barangay kagawad on duty.
“Ayaw papasukin ng mga pulis ‘yong mga kagawad na naka-duty nang matapos ‘yong insidente. Eh gustong malaman kung ang napatay eh taga-loob o taga-labas kaya sila na lang ang tinanong. Ang sabi, ‘yong Rolly daw,” said a kagawad who asked not to be named.
One of the residents supported the kagawad’s story.
“Yung mga nakikiusyoso sa nangyari tinatanong yung mga pulis, ‘Sino ‘yong namatay?’ Ang sinasabi nila ang napatay nila yung holdaper na si Rolly, madaming tattoo daw. Ayun pala yung bata yung napatay,” he said.
The two residents knew Rolly to between 30 and 40 years old with tattoos printed in his body.
The three policemen – PO1 Benigno Baladjay, PO1 Jan Erwin Isaac, and PO1 Melford Olorosisimo – were relieved and disarmed after the incident.
An investigation is under way to find the circumstances of Sison’s death.
Why Sison ran away at the sight of the patrolling policemen remains a mystery.
Rachel Bermoy, 19, the live-in partner of Sison, said Eric had come from a drinking spree with one of his friends, Kenneth Espina, who was celebrating his 19th birthday.
“Mga mag-aala una na ‘yon, pinuntahan ko siya na umuwi na dahil nag iinuman sila sa Munoz. Pasado ala-una, nag text siya sa akin na sisibat na siya dala ‘yong pedicab niya. Hindi ko alam pero doon siguro sila nasita,” Bermoy said.
When she heard the gun shots, Bermoy said her first instinct was to find her partner, but she couldn’t leave their one-year-old baby, Emuel, who was sleeping in their room.
“Pagdating niya (Sison), may mga dugo sa dingding dahil bumabangga bangga siya doon. Ang sabi niya sa akin, ‘Ma, bantayan mo si baby.Wag mo na akong sundan. Kaya ko na ‘yong sarili ko.’ Para bang namamaalam na. Tinatanong ko siya kung anong nagyayari pero umakyat na siya sa bubong,” Bermoy recalled.
“May mga sumisigaw sa tapat ng bahay namin na sumuko na raw,” she added.
Bermoy said contrary to the police claim, Sison was not into drugs and did not own a gun.
Following the shooting, the police said they recovered sachets of marijuana and shabu and a revolver from Sison’s body.
Bermoy said the drugs and gun may have been planted by the police.
“Sumugod ako sa bahay nila ate Rosalie dahil doon daw siya binaril pero ayaw ako papasukin kahit sabi ko na ako ‘yong asawa. Nakasarado lang ‘yong bahay,” Bermoy said.
“Meron pong nakapagsabi sa akin na may pulis na nagmadaling umalis. Siguro mga 30 minutes bago siya nakabalik tsaka pumasok ulit pero meron na daw po silang ‘dala’. Hindi ko alam kung anong dala nila pero naniniwala ako na ‘yong dala na ‘yun para ipatong sa asawa ko,” she added.
Sison’s companion who escaped unharmed could be one of his seven friends who escorted him home, according to Espina.
(MARTIN SADONGDONG)