Palace welcomes Ombudsman order to dismiss, file murder raps vs ‘Tokhang’ cop

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday welcomed the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss from service and file murder charges against a policeman for the killing of a 23-year-old epileptic during an anti-drug operation.

“We welcome it as PRRD (President Rodrigo Duterte) says his administration will not tolerate abuse on the part of police officers as there will be hell to pay,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters in a text message.

The Ombudsman found Police Staff Sergeant Gerry Geñalope guilty of grave misconduct for shooting drug suspect Djastin Lopez to death in an alleged drug operation in Tondo, Manila on May 18, 2017.

Witnesses claimed that Lopez and the other people on a railway track in Tondo started running when plainclothesmen arrived in the area.

The police officers supposedly caught up with Lopez and started shooting him even as he held up his hands to surrender, witnesses said.

READ: Mother of slain epileptic son sues Manila ‘tokhang’ cops

Geñalope’s dismissal came almost five months after the conviction of three Caloocan City policemen for the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in August 2017 during an anti-drug operation.

After launching his brutal war on drugs, President Duterte said soldiers and policemen will not be jailed for carrying out his order to go after drug suspects.

However, he said in December last year that he would not pardon the cops involved in Delos Santos’ death. /ee

READ: Duterte: No pardon for cops in Kian delos Santos slay