Kin of mother, son slain by cop in Tarlac seek justice for killing

The bereaved family of the mother and son who were shot dead in broad daylight by a policeman in Paniqui, Tarlac sought justice for the deaths of their kin.

According to Emil Sumangil’s “24 Oras” report on Monday, Frank Anthony Rufino Gregorio and his mother, Sonya Rufino Gregorio, left behind several children and grandchildren after they were killed by Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca.

“Justice lang po. ‘Yun lang po. Kasi mayroon po siyang mother na inaalagaan tapos ‘yung anak niya pong isa, kakaopera lang sa appendix no’ng Thursday. Ang dami niya pong anak. Eh walang wala rin naman po kami,” their relative Alona Rufino said.

“Mabigyan sana ng katarungan ‘yung nangyari do’n sa mag-ina. Kung ano’ng nararapat na ano do’n sa pumatay. Alam naman po ‘yung kaparusahan no’n,” another relative, Mila, added.

Neighbors Nuezca and the Gregorios had previously clashed on issues concerning the right-of-way and a land title that the cop bought from the family of the victims.

“Magkadugtong siya, kumbaga,” Mila said. “Tapos na po ‘yun, ‘yung mga unang [away] nila. Ito ay, kumbaga, do’n lang sa boga na pinaputok no’ng bata.”

The tension between the two parties was sparked anew over the weekend when they had a heated confrontation over the Gregorios’ use of the powerful firecracker “boga.”

“Nagpapaputok po kami ng boga pero hindi po namin alam na nando’n ‘yung pulis,” said Greg, also a relative of the victims.

“Tapos… pagbalik ko po, nag-aaway na po silang ganyan. Tapos no’ng aawatin ko po, sabi po sa’kin no’ng pulis, inaambahan na po niya ‘ko ng baril. Napatakbo na po ako do’n sa labas,” he added.

It was during this argument that Nuezca opened fire and killed the mother and son.

“Na-recover namin na evidence do’n sa crime scene is apat na empty shells saka dalawang fired bullet. So apat na putok ‘yung ipinutok niya,” Paniqui police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Noriel Rombaoa said.

Police said Nuezca immediately left the crime scene after the incident but later turned himself in to authorities. He also surrendered his service firearm.

Nuezca’s history

Greg said the fatal encounter on Sunday was not the first time that Nuezca had accosted their family.

“Pangalawa na po ‘to. Sumugod na po siya dito no’n. ‘Yung anak niya raw po binu-bully daw po namin. E sa tanda po naming ito, makikisali ba kami sa away-bata?” he said.

Police data also showed that Nuezca figured in six administrative cases between 2010 and 2019, including two that involved homicide.

The Provincial Prosecutor of Tarlac has indicted Nuezca for two counts of murder.

Asked whether the family would ever forgive Nuezca, Mila said: “Opo. Kasi kung iniisip nila na gaganti kami, no. Kasi meron naman tayong Panginoon.”

Human Rights Watch earlier said killings such as those suffered by the Gregorios at the hands of a cop are the “inevitable result” of the government’s failure to hold erring law enforcers accountable. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News