Velasco: Cop in Tarlac shooting must not go unpunished

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Monday joined his colleagues at the House of Representatives in calling for the prosecution of Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca for killing an unarmed mother and her son in Paniqui, Tarlac.

In a statement, Velasco offered his sympathies to the family of 52-year-old Sonya and her 25-year-old son Frank Anthony, whom Nuezca shot dead in the middle of a heated argument over "boga" and right of way on Sunday.

The Speaker said he shares the anguish that many feel about the tragic incident, saying that the public response to it is "totally understandable."

"It is our fervent hope that the circumstances surrounding their deaths are investigated thoroughly and that justice is ultimately served," Velasco said.

"The culprit, Police Officer Jonel Nuezca, must not go unpunished and that his effective prosecution must be ensured," he added.

Velasco also said that the incident highlights the need for the Philippine National Police leadership to remind policemen on the proper and responsible use of their weapons.

"Police officers must be reminded that force and firearms may only be used if other means remain ineffective or without any promise of achieving the intended result," he said.

Earlier in the day, other House members also expressed condemnation of the killing of the Gregorios, pointing out that it was not an isolated incident with the "kill, kill, kill" culture that has become prevalent under the Duterte administration.

"We demand justice for the Gregorios, for all the victims of extrajudicial killings and of police brutality," said Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate.

"More than ever, we must be vigilant and ensure that this incident would not be whitewashed or be consigned as mere part of  the country's grim statistics of human rights violations," he added.

Nuezca already turned himself in to the police and is facing double murder charges.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said the DOJ will ensure justice will be served.—AOL, GMA News