Slain Laguna drug suspect’s kin not filing charges—Eleazar
THE family of slain Laguna drug trafficker Antonio Dalit alias ‘Tala’ are no longer interested in pursuing criminal or administrative cases against local policemen who gunned down the suspect in an anti-narcotics operation last June 16, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said yesterday.
However, the top cop called on witnesses in the bloody shootout to surface and formally give their statement to the PNP Internal Affairs Service and the Special Investigation Task Group created by Police Regional Office 4-A director Brig. Gen. Eliseo DC Cruz to investigate the operation amid claims that a second suspect, 16-year-old Jhnodi Helis, was already in handcuffs when killed.
“There is an ongoing investigation in that Biñan City, the probe is still ongoing although we have found some revealing facts including the violent resistance offered by Dalit, which endangered the lives of our officers,” Eleazar said.
Dalit has been identified as one of Laguna’s 10 most wanted persons. He has been considered as an armed and dangerous drug trafficker prior to the June 16 shootout.
Eleazar said the PRO4-A fact-finding investigation task group has reported to him that Dalit’s family, particularly the drug suspect’s sister, has expressed no interest to pursue complaints against the Laguna police operatives for the death of their kin.
“Lydia Dalit said the family believes there was no overkill and that they are aware that Tala is a drug pusher and ex-convict,” Eleazar said.
The PNP chief added that Helis’ mother, Cristina, asked for more time to file a complaint-affidavit with the task group and requested investigators to obtain her sworn statement until after the teenager’s burial on July 1.
“The Calabarzon investigation task group will wait for her complaint-affidavit for the filing of a criminal case in the prosecutor’s office,” the official said.