Family seeks justice for special needs youth killed by Valenzuela cops

The family of an 18-year-old with special needs who was shot dead by a policeman during a raid on an illegal cockfight in Valenzuela sought justice for the death of their loved one.

According to Emil Sumangil's report on "24 Oras," police claimed that Edwin Arnigo attempted to grab the gun of a policeman and was shot during the scuffle.

The police officers brought Arnigo to the Valenzuela Medical Center but he was declared dead on arrival.

However, Arnigo's family were skeptical of the allegations made by police officers. They countered that Edwin could not have scuffled with cops because he was afraid of them.

"Hindi po 'yon totoo na nanlaban kasi 'yong anak ko po sobrang payat eh. Tapos 'yong pulis na bumaril sa kaniya, malaking tao po. Paano po makalaban 'yong anak ko?" Helen Arnigo said.

(The policeman who shot my son is a large man. How can my son take the gun away from him when he is so skinny?)

Helen added that they have witnesses who said that her son was shot in a different location and was dragged to the cockfighting area.

"Noong pag bulagta ng anak ko, ginawa pang manok, tinangay doon sa may sabong, doon sa tupada. Hindi ko alam baka palusutin nila na nagtutupada 'yong anak ko. Eh paano magtupada 'yong anak ko na 'yon? Takot 'yon sa tari ng manok," she added.

(May son lay prostrate and they treated him like a slaughtered chicken. They dragged him over to where the cockfight was. I don't know why they did that, maybe to make it appear that my son took part in the cockfight. Why would my son take part in that? He was afraid of the gaffs.)

Edwin's parents were determined to seek justice for their son.

"Gusto ko pong maparusahan sila, mabigyan ng hustisya 'yong anak ko talaga kasi special siya eh," Helen said.

(I want my son's killers punished, my son be given justice. My son was so special.)

"Sa'kin lang, sana managot 'yong may kasalanan kasi kawawa naman 'yong anak ko. Masakit sa kalooban namin ang nangyari," Edwin's father Benny added.

(If it were up to me, those responsible would pay for what they did to my poor boy. We're heartbroken over what happened.)

Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian meanwhile said his office was investigating the shooting.

The police officer who shot Edwin, Police Master Sgt. Christopher Salcedo, as well the three other police officers involved in the raid were placed under restrictive custody and disarmed as part of the investigative procedure.

All four police officers were members of the Valenzuela police's headquarters intelligence unit.

Philippine National Police chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar, for his part, directed the PNP's Internal Affairs Service to conduct a "thorough investigation" of the incident, "specifically aimed at determining if there were lapses in the conduct of the operation." — Ma. Angelica Garcia/DVM, GMA News