Stray bullet death in Caloocan: Cop’s gun to be examined

MANILA, Philippines – The .45 caliber pistol of the police officer who allegedly hit a six-year-old child in Caloocan City with a stray bullet will undergo ballistic examination, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde said on Monday.

Albayalde said the process will confirm whether or not the bullet that killed  Grade1 student Gian Habal Sunday afternoon was fired from Corporal Rocky delos Reyes’s  personal firearm.

Habal was playing outside the family residence in Barangay 178 when he was hit by a stray bullet as the police officer was pursuing a suspect.

The incident also wounded the child’s grandmother, 65-year-old Elsa Montañez.

“Pina-submit na natin ‘yung baril ng pulis at it will undergo ballistic examination at kung siya ‘yung nakatama talaga, then I am sure mapa-file-an ‘yan not only of administrative charges but criminal charges against our own police,” Albayalde said in a press briefing.

He also urged the public to not conclude yet that the bullet that killed the child was from the gun of Delos Reyes, since the suspect allegedly traded shots with the police officer.

“Ang mahirap kasi sa atin kapag may tinamaan na merong crossfire with the suspect and the police, palagi po natin ang assumption ay ‘yung pulis ang nakatama. Huwag naman sanang ganun. Let’s wait for the investigation,” he said.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Major General Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, said the result of the ballistic exam will be released on Thursday.

He said that the police are still awaiting the result of the autopsy on the victim’s body.

Albayalde also offered his condolences to the family of the child and called the incident “very unfortunate.” /gsg