Mandaluyong City police filed yesterday charges against 10 policemen and three barangay watchmen involved in the controversial police response that led to the death of two people recently.
Senior Supt. Quibuyen, Eastern Police District’s (EPD) director for operations, said charges of reckless imprudence resulting in double homicide, and reckless imprudence resulting in frustrated homicide were filed yesterday before the Mandaluyong City Prosecutors’ Office for the death of Jonalyn Ambaon and Jomar Hayawun.
The cops sued were Senior Inspector Maria Cristina Vasquez, team leader; P02 Lawemuel Songalia; PO1 Ariel Uribe; PO1 Jave Arellano; PO1 Tito Danao; PO1 Mark Castillo; PO1 Julius Libuen; PO1 Bryan Nicolas; PO1 Albert Buwag; and PO1 Kim Rufford Tibunsay.
Also charged were Ernesto Fajardo, Wilmer Duron and Gilbert Gulpo, all watchmen of Barangay Addition Hills. Gulpo is still hiding.
Aside from criminal charges, he said the 10 cops and former Mandaluyong Police chief Senior Supt. Moises Villaceran will be charged administratively.
Quibuyen said the Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS) will start its probe on the policemen involved in the incident.
Barangay chairman Kent Faminial said Gulpo texted him, informing him he would surrender soon.
Faminial also said that the watchmen were not given guns by their barangay, saying they only issue handcuffs and wooden baton.
REAL BLUNDER
Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), admitted yesterday that the controversial police response in Mandaluyong City was indeed a case of blunder on the part of his men.
“I don’t know if it could be classified as mistaken identity, it is more of false information given to the police,” said dela Rosa.
And such false information which Dela Rosa believed to have been purposely given to the barangay security officers who eventually relayed it to the responding police, cost the lives of Ambaon, who was previously wounded in an earlier shooting; and Hayawun. (Jel Santos and Aaron Recuenco)