PNP on death of 3-yr-old girl during anti-drug op: Mabilis po ang mga pangyayari

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it is looking into the death of a three-year-old girl during a recent anti-drug operation in Rodriguez, Rizal, even though it maintained that the child was used as a "human shield" by the suspect.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, PNP spokesperson Colonel Bernard Banac said the girl was caught in a crossfire when the target of the buy-bust operation decided to shoot it out with the policemen.

"Ito ay tinitignan ng pulisya dahil ang pangyayari ay mukhang ginamit na human shield itong anak ng suspek so, well, masasabi natin na nadamay sa crossfire dahil mabilis po ang pangyayari," Banac said.

"'Pag ganito ang sitwasyon, nagkakabulagaan... naroon na ang tendency ng suspek na mag-resist sa pag-aresto sa kanya."

The victim was the daughter of the suspect, who was also killed in the operation together with another suspect and a policeman.

"Nagkapalitan na nga po ng putok agad at naunahan 'yung ating pulis kaya napilitan ang pulis natin na gumanti ng putok ay nadamay na 'yung paslit," Banac said.

Asked if the policemen followed proper procedure in the operation, Banac said, "Yun ang ating inaasahan subalit sa kasamaang palad nauwi sa ganitong pangyayari kung saan apat ang napatay kasama 'yung bata at 'yung ating operatiba."

The mother of the three-year-old child however maintained that her child identified as Kateleen Myca Ulpina was not used as a human shield.

“Inuulit ko po, walang human shield na nangyari,” said the mother at the wake for the child in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Despite this, Banac said the PNP will continue going after "street-level pushers" despite calls for them to zero in on the suppliers.

"Tama 'yun, talagang 'yung mga supplier ang tina-target ngayon. Subalit 'yung street-level pushing ay hindi pa rin natin pababayaan dahil habang nariyan ang network ng sindikato ay tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang pagpapakalat nila ng iligal na droga," he said. —KBK/KG, GMA News