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No whitewash in shooting incident involving cop in Tarlac, says provincial police chief


There will be no whitewash in the investigation of the fatal shooting of a mother and son in Paniqui, Tarlac by a police officer, the provincial police vowed on Monday.

"Hindi po mangyayari. Wala na po 'yung mga ganoong panahon. Hindi po namin kinukunsinti 'yung mga ganitong mga actions... Nakita naman po natin ang pagsisikap ng lahat ng umuupong CPNP na linisin ang ating hanay," Tarlac Provincial Police director Police Colonel Renante Cabico told Dobol B sa News TV.

A video, which has gone viral, caught the shooting incident that killed Sonya Rufino Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony Rufino Gregorio in Barangay Cabayaoasan.

The policeman who shot them was later identified as Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca.

An initial investigation showed that Nuezca and the victims had an altercation regarding right of way before the shooting incident transpired.

Sonya was seen in the video hugging her son Frank Anthony in an attempt to stop the latter from facing the policeman.

Police said Nuezca went to the house of the victims after hearing an explosion caused by a "boga," an improvised cannon made of PVC pipes usually used during New Year celebrations.

According to Cabico, Frank Anthony was allegedly drunk when the confrontation happened.

"Sa further investigation po na isinasagawa ng Paniqui Police Station, lumalabas po na may biglang nagpaputok ng boga, 'yung boga po kasi improvised po 'yan. Ang bala po niyan is 'yung jolen and pinuntahan po ng suspect kung saan, kung sino 'yung mga nagpaputok sa mga kapitbahay," Cabico said.

"Ito nga po nakakompronta niya po itong si Frank Anthony 'yung isa po sa biktima at ganoon po ang allegation, medyo lasing nga po si Frank Anthony at noong aarestuhin na, nakialam daw po 'yung magulang na si Sonya po na naging biktima rin po. Hanggang nabaril na nga po," he added.

Last resort

Cabico noted that Nuezca was off duty when the incident happened. He mentioned that policemen are allowed to carry their guns even when they are not on duty in case there will be untoward incidents, adding that it was also the order of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Cabico, however, said using firearms should always be the "last resort" of policemen, especially when there are threats in their lives.

"Actually po isa nga sa programa ng ating chief PNP ngayon ay magdadala nga ng baton muna 'yung mga pulis kasi napaka-dependent po namin sa baril, supposed to be nga 'yung baril dapat last resort na lang po 'yan. Kung sa tingin mo ay may imminent threat sa buhay mo, saka mo lang dapat gagamitin 'yung baril mo," Cabico said.

"Unfortunately po 'yung insidente off duty po 'yung pulis, nasa kanyang bahay eh 'yung issue naman kasing firearms, permanent issue naman po 'yan. Lahat po ng member ng PNP ay may issued-firearms po, short firearms, binibitbit po nila 'yan... Actually nagkaroon po ng directive si Presidente noon na 'yung mga off-duty, they are allowed to carry their firearms kasi nga po may mga insidente na 'yung krimen, nangyayari sa hindi natin inaasahan," he added.

Nuezca, who is assigned in Parañaque City, has already surrendered to authorities, minutes after the shooting incident on Sunday afternoon.

He is presently under the custody of Paniqui Police Station and is facing double murder charges. — RSJ, GMA News

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