CHR-NCR to probe Silang shootout amid rubout claims

(Updated 2:09 p.m.) The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will investigate Tuesday's encounter between Cavite police and supposed members of a robbery-holdup group in Silang, Cavite, where eight suspects were killed.

“CHR-NCR will do an investigation. I had to first assign investigators (a team of three) to do the work,” lawyer Gilbert Boiser, head of CHR-National Capital Region said in a text message to GMA News Online on Wednesday.

The relatives of the suspected robbers claimed the incident was a rubout, and asked the CHR for an investigation, a television report said Wednesday.

“Tulungan niyo po kami. Hindi po makatarungan ang ginawa nila sa anak ko, sa amin. Hindi makatarungan ang ginawa nilag pagpatay. Wala silang naipakitang ebidensya. Hindi naman nakitang nangholdup. Umaandar ang motor binaril nila,” Nimfa Pereña said in an interview with GMA News.

Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP information office chief, said they welcome any investigation on the incident.

“Those who accuse such must show evidence and we welcome any investigation on the incident,” Sindac said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Alingaro robbery-holdup group

Pereña's son, Jomar, was suspected to be a member of Alingaro robbery-holdup group and was among those killed in what the police said was a shootout.

Another suspect was able to escape and is now a subject of a manhunt operation.

“Hanggang ngayon po may mga tao tayo nasa labas. Naka-identify na yung lugar kung saan nakatira yung subject na yan. Siguro within the week ay may resulta na na lumabas,” said Chief Insp. Gil Torralba, chief of PNP-Silang.

The others killed were Romulo Borita, Sr., Glenno Jandoc, Fernan Pascua, Joseph Viscaya, Arnold Babaan and Jonjon Flores.

Only one fatality has yet to be identified, and the police are checking if among those killed was Danilo Lanzaga, the alleged leader of the group named after a remote barangay in General Trias where they live.

Pereña, Borita, Jandoc, Pascua all live in Brgy. Alingaro while Viscaya's address was in Trece Martirez and Flores was in Calumpang, according to Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel, Cavite police chief.

Pereña said Jomar, who sustained 14 gunshot wounds, told her that he would just go to a fiesta. “Tinarget po. Maliwanag na maliwanag na set-up yun. Sana hinarangan na lang. Di naman makakalaban 'yon dahil nagmo-motor. Bakit nila tinambangan?” she said.

Checkpoint

Esquivel said police teams rushed to the area after an informant told them about the presence of the armed men. They set up a checkpoint Tuesday noon in the boundary of Brgy. Litlit in Silang and Brgy. Banaybanay in Amadeo, which the suspects allegedly ignored, triggering the shootout.

“Around 1:30 p.m. nagkabulagaan sila doon and they engaged my SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) [team] and aking local police kaya nagkaroon ng running gun battle,” Esquivel said.

A report on GMA's “24-Oras” said the police chanced on the suspects who were about to rob a hardware store in Barangay Litlit.

Recovered from the area were three motorcycles without license plates, and caliber .38 and caliber .45 handguns.

In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Esquivel said one of the motorcycles recovered was owned by an Indian national Johnny Singh, who was victimized by the suspects last May 21. He said one of the fatalities was positively identified as among those who robbed Singh.

He said the group was believed to be responsible for the robbery incidents involving the delivery vans of cigarette companies.

“Nag-spike ang activities ng grupong ito recently. Isang cigarette company nga ang nanakawan nila ng aggregate amount na P1.2 million habang P1 million sa isang minor na cigarette company. Mga four to six times na nilang na-holdup yung mga ahente ng mga kumpanya,” Esquivel said.

He said the group usually operates in Amadeo, Silang, Imus, Bacoor, and Dasmariñas.

No rubout

Esquivel denied that the incident was a rubout. “Nangyari yung insidente tanghaling tapat, maliwanag na maliwanag paanong magiging rubout yun,” he said.

He said they received report that the suspects were also involved in gun for hire, aside from highway robbery.

The incident was reminiscent of the 1995 Kuratong Baleleng and the 2013 Atimonan rubout cases where policemen, including ranking officials, were accused of summarily executing suspected members of criminal groups.

The police officers accused in the Kuratong Baleleng case, including then Task Force Habagat head and current Presidential Assistant on Yolanda Rehabilation Panfilo Lacson, were cleared of murder charges by Supreme Court, which upheld the 2003 decision of a Quezon City Court.

Meanwhile, the 13 policemen involved in the Atimonan case were dismissed from service after the PNP leadership found them guilty of serious irregularity in the peformance of duty. Five others were demoted by one rank while two were ordered suspended for six months.

The police officers are also facing multiple murder charges before the Gumaca Regional Trial Court.—KBK, GMA News