Navotas police chief axed over teen slay
NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office director Brigadier General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. ordered the administrative relief of Navotas City Police Station chief Colonel Allan Umipig in the aftermath of the ongoing investigation into the death of a teenager who was shot by a group of local policemen who mistook him for a killer.
The Metro Manila police chief said Umipig will also undergo an administrative investigation in connection with the killing of Jemboy Baltazar last August 2. An officer-in-charge will temporarily take over the place of Umipig.
The PNP Internal Affairs Service headed by Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo earlier recommended the filing of complaints against Umipig for dishonesty and command responsibility after he reportedly ordered the removal of the names of 11 other local policemen in the report on the killing of Baltazar.
The 11 are expected to be included in another complaint to be filed by the PNP-IAS after they allegedly left the teenage victim at the scene after the shooting incident in total violation of Police Operational Procedures.
Local Government Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr. and Philippine National Police Chief, General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. also ordered the strict enforcement of the doctrine of command responsibility in the police force and the review of the Police Operational Procedures following the Navotas City shooting incident.
An angry Sec. Abalos said he still cannot fathom why a group of policemen would fire at the victim simply because he jumped in the river. “Marami akong nababasa and it’s the PNP Internal Affairs Service which has already taken over the probe. Things like were paraffin tests conducted? Umalis ba yung mga tao na nandun? Gaano katagal dumating ang mga imbestigador?,” he said.
Sec. Abalos said these are very serious allegations which should be thoroughly investigated.
However, he commended Brig. Gen. Nartatez and Northern Police District director, Brig. Gen. Rizalito G. Gapas for taking action shortly after the Navotas incident took place.
Both Nartatez and Sec. Abalos said there are many questions that need to be answered by the Navotas City Police Station as information regarding the Baltazar killing continues to flow. First, why resort to warning shots which have been long barred by the PNP? 2nd, did those Navotas cops really use a Body-Worn Camera during their effort to get a man who earlier shot a local resident dead?
It now appears that the accused fired those shots to compel Baltazar and his companion to go with them. The shooting came after the policemen got a tip that the suspects they were tracking down were in a boat docked near the river. Thus, when they saw Baltazar and his companion, they shouted at the two to yield and later fired warning shots to scare the two.
However, a terrified Baltazar jumped into the river prompting one officer to fire in his direction. The others followed suit and as a result, the victim was hit and died. After the incident, the accused policemen reportedly left the scene and did not surrender their weapons for a ballistics test or undergo a paraffin test as required in every cop-involved shooting incident.
