Achievement or major blunder?

by Ranie Jangayo, Daily Guardian

AMID the controversy over the shootout Wednesday last week at Jalandoni-Delgado Streets, Iloilo City that left three persons dead, some human rights lawyers and civilians opine the PNP should review its rules of engagement.

This, after a TV crew that responded to the scene of the incident caught the cops on tape firing at the three victims even if they were already lying on the pavement seriously wounded.

Some considered this an achievement on the part of the PNP but others see this as a major blunder committed by members of the Regional Intelligence Office (RIO) under Supt. Samuel Nacion.

Nacion is one of the region’s highly-trained and respected police officials, a colleague told this corner.

But Nacion must face the consequences of what they did.

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Reacting to Mayor Jerry Treñas’ comments that the shooting incident would dissuade bad elements from operating in the metropolis, human rights advocates said it should not be viewed that way.

As far as we are concerned, every police action is presumed to be within the framework of our legal system.

The committee chairman of public safety and police matters in the city council must also conduct a separate investigation on the incident in aid of legislation.

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While we welcome the internal probe by the National Police Commission and the Police Regional Office 6, some expressed doubts because the police will investigate their “kabaro”.

PRO-6 is composed of police personnel while the National Police Commission is allegedly known for exonerating high ranking police officers who are subjects of complaints by ordinary citizens.

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Can you also imagine Col. Bartolome Tobias, the ICPO director, making an outright conclusion that there was no overkill or rubout even without watching first the TV footage?

It was an instant attempt to mislead the people in the guise of making us believe that it was a plain shootout.

Tobias should have told us to wait for the result of the investigation.

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We are again reminded of the 11 Kuratong Baleleng kidnap-for-ransom gang members who were shot to death in Metro Manila 13 years ago. This case stained the image of the police.

Just lately, another alleged rubout happened when four suspects in the May 16 Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) robbery case were riddled with bullets by the police.

The cops involved were recommended to be dismissed.

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Police should only use reasonable force to neutralize suspects during the engagement.

What we saw in the GMA-6 Iloilo footage showed how police officers shot Samuel Cioco, Gerard Emaas and Hino Balacutan even if they were already lying on the pavement.

Did Nacion and his men even think of rushing the wounded to the nearest hospital? It took them almost four hours to take away the bodies from the scene. Instead of bringing them to the hospital, they were brought directly to Somo memorial homes mortuary.

Even if it is true that Gerald Emaas was “Kilabot ng Masbate,” and Samuel Cioco and Hino Balacutan were notorious criminals, cops should know that they also have the right to due process. Tawo man ini sila!