Drug suspect, father killed inside Pasay police station

An arrested drug suspect and his father were killed inside a police station in Pasay City after they allegedly tried to fight it off with arresting policemen, a report by GMA News' Sandra Aguinaldo on "24 Oras" said Thursday.

The report said JP Bertes was arrested in his house in Barangay 72 in Pasay City on Thursday morning. Afraid to leave his son at the hands of police officers, Renato Bertes accompanied JP to the police station.

However, past 2 p.m., the two were reported killed after JP allegedly tried to grab the gun of a policeman who was removing his handcuff.

"Nang-agaw ng baril doon sa tao ko habang tinatanggalan ng posas. Sobrang laki niya kaya napilitan yung tao ko (na barilin siya)," Insp. Jacqualine Ta-a, chief of Pasay Station 4, said, referring to JP.

The report said Ta-a was not able to provide further details as to what exactly happened that led to the killing of the two inside their headquarters.

The victims' family immediately proceeded to the police station, including the younger Bertes' live-in partner Harra. They questioned the legality of arrest, noting that the police had no arrest warrant against JP.

Ta-a admitted they had no warrant but clarified it is not needed during on-the-spot operations.

"Pag on-the-spot naman hindi na kailangan ng mga warrant of arrest. May mga initial violation yan. Sa investigation na lang natin malalaman," Ta-a said.

Meanwhile, Harra, who was pregnant with her third child, said even her two-year-old daughter was harassed by the arresting officers, claiming one policeman searched even the kid's rectum for illegal drugs.

Ta-a denied Harra's allegation. "Hindi mangyayari yun. Sa dami ng tao doon, uunahin pa ba yung dalawang taon [na bata]?" she said.

JP, who was supposed to surrender to the police on Thursday for fears of his life, left behind three children with Harra.

The report said 103 drug suspects have already been killed since President Rodrigo Duterte, who promised to stamp out criminality during his term, assumed office on June 30.

Former Justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima said she will be seeking a legislative probe on the series of killings of drug suspects. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News