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Bulacan cops mistakenly open fire on teens


At least five San Miguel, Bulacan police officers on Thursday night mistook a vehicle full of teenagers on a playful jaunt to be drug dealers, and riddled the teenagers' Asian utility vehicle with bullets, GMA 7 news program “24 Oras” reported.

According to one teen, they came from ghost-hunting at a San Miguel cemetery when a  vehicle suddenly cut them off.

“Inaabangan na pala po kami doon sa kanto na iyon,” recounted  the distraught victim, a 17-year-old. “Noong lumapit na po kami, bumaba na po yung limang lalaki. Tapos pinagbabaril na po kami.”

The youth then told their driver to keep going, and they made their way to a local police station to report the shooting.

To their surprise, they were told that the five men who opened fire at them were police officers.

“Kung sinabi nila kaagad na pulis [sila], hihinto po kami. Kasi kung takot po kami, bakit kami pupunta dito sa police station,” reasoned the 17-year-old.

Miraculously, none of the teens, aged 13 to 18, nor their driver were injured, despite the 15 bullet-holes in their vehicle.

San Miguel's police chief, Superintendent Joel Santos Estaris, admitted that, despite the cemetery being a known location for drug transactions, mistakes were made by the policemen.

“Meron talagang pagkakamali. Siguro nagkaroon ng lapses in the decision-making at miscommunication on the part of the operatives,” said Estaris.

The five police officers involved in the shooting have been relived from duty, and they now face charges of multiple attempted homicide and damage to property.

The San Miguel local government also promised to provide the teenagers with assistance. — DVM, GMA News

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