A YOUNG member of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group has confessed that he accidentally shot and killed one of his colleagues and wounded another while they were rescuing two kidnapped Chinese tourists in Angeles City last August 3.

The voluntary confession of the anti-kidnapping operative with the rank of Patrolman prompted the PNP-AKG to file criminal charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and serious physical injury against him.

The accused is now being held at the AKG lock-up facility in Camp Crame.

The Journal Group learned that during a debriefing shortly after the successful rescue operation at the kidnappers’ safehouse in De Guzman Street in Sitio Feliza, Angeles City, the AKG agent confessed he accidentally fired his assault rifle and hit Police Staff Sergeant Nelson Santiago and Police Chief Master Sgt. Eden Accad in the process.

“The accused was trembling and in tears when he confessed to have accidentally shot his colleagues. It was unintentional on his part and he said that while entering the kidnappers’ safehouse, he saw the silhouette of an armed man and fired a single shot on instinct, thinking he was one of the armed Chinese kidnappers,” an official privy to the investigation into the case said.

The official said that after realizing that he had shot his two colleagues, the confessed shooter did not hesitate to bring the two wounded AKG men to the hospital with the help of other members of the AKG Luzon Field Unit.

The incident has prompted PNP chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil to order a review of their operational procedures particularly in breaching criminals’ hideouts.

Officials said that the PNP chief also wanted to find out what other pieces of equipment are needed by his men when it comes to raiding criminal lairs.

In the case of the PNP-AKG raid, it was evident that the Galil assault rifle fired by the PNP-AKG operative was not equipped with a flashlight which can make him easily identify a target or not in close range.

The PNP chief also ordered a review of the weapons that may be used in the conduct of a raid noting that the Galil rifle used was a very powerful weapon, officials said. Using guns of much smaller caliber and requiring agents to wear bullet-proof vests and other body protection particularly in the conduct of anti-kidnapping raids have been initially recommended in the aftermath of the Angeles City incident.

PSSgt. Santiago was shot in the body and pronounced dead upon arrival at the Angeles University Foundation Medical Center by an attending physician. He became the 18th member of the PNP to be killed in the line of duty so far this year.

PMSgt. Accad was also shot in the body and is still undergoing treatment at the dssme hospital. He became the 41st policeman to be wounded while going after armed criminals since the year started.

Around 2 p.m. two Saturdays ago, PNP-AKG operatives under Brigadier Gen. Cosme A. Abrenica raided the Angeles City safehouse where they managed to rescue unharmed two kidnapped Chinese tourists identified as Zhou Lin, a 27-year old native of Jingxi, China and Zhou Jiangxiang ,24, of Wenzhou, China.

The raid likewise resulted in the capture of the two kidnappers identified as Hu Kai,27, a native of Jiangxi, China and Lyu Dongze,30, of Liaoning province. The two were found to be renting a unit at the Alpha Suite in Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

The two Chinese kidnappers have been charged for kidnapping and serious illegal detention and violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013.

The Angeles City raid was triggered by an information relayed to the PNP-AKG by Chinese police attache Zheng Zhue. The two captured Chinese nationals are now locked-up at the AKG jail undergoing questioning with the help of a Chinese interpreter.

PNP-AKG officers recovered one caliber 45 pistol, one caliber 38 revolver, several drug paraphernalia, an electronic weighting scale, several lighters, a PNP bullcap and different kinds of jungle knives during the operation. A probe has also started on how the Chinese kidnappers managed to acquire those handguns.

Gen. Marbil on Monday last week motored to Rizal province to visit the wake of Santiago and condole with his family. He also visited the wounded Accad in his hospital bed.

The top cop has ordered the immediate release of all benefits due to the Santiago family and said they will also provide all necessary medical support to Accad.

The PNP-AKG reported that prior to the rescue operation, the Chinese police attache reported to their headquarters that the two female victims were seized in Makati City last August 2.

The kidnappers later brought them to Angeles City where they demanded a 500,00 Yuan n Yuan or roughly P8 million ransom from the two’s families.

A team of officers from the PNP-AKG led by Captain Adrian James Albaytar and Major Nur-Hajtain Sampulna, acting on the information from the Chinese official, rushed to the kidnappers’ safehouse in Angeles City where they rescued the two victims unharmed and arrested the two. The operation was supervised by AKG-LFU chief, Lieutenant Colonel Rossel Cejas.

Santiago left behind his wife Mary Rose and two children, the eldest at 6 and the youngest only 2-years old.

PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean S. Fajardo earlier said that investigators are looking at the possibility that Santiago was killed by a ‘friendly fire’ and added that Gen. Marbil has assured the family of the slain cop that those responsible will be held accountable.