DRUG WAR CASUALTY Leejay Acopio sprinkles holy water on the coffin of her 3-year-old daughter, Myca Ulpina, who was killed in a police operation that targeted the girl’s father in Rodriguez, Rizal, on June 29. —AP
MANILA, Philippines – A reinvestigation into the killing of a three-year-old girl in Rizal will kick off soon, the head of Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS) said on Thursday.
PNP-IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said he wanted to launch another probe into Myca Ulpina, who was shot dead in a buy-bust operation in Rodriguez, Rizal, to determine the real suspects behind the killing.
“Nangyari noon na-charge na namin yung police na involved pero pina-pa-imbestigahan ko ulit kahit gumugulong na yung kaso dahil gusto kong alamin kung sino yung nakabaril nung bata at paano nabaril kaya pinapaulit ko yung imbestigasyon,” Triambulo told reporters in a blood-letting event in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
READ: Cops who shot 3-year-old in Rizal buy-bust identified
Triambulo wanted to start a reinvestigation even after a report from Brig. Gen. Edward Carranza, Calabarzon regional police, said the bullets that hit Ulpina came from the guns of undercover policeman Master Sgt. Conrad Cabigao and Cpl. Mark Jherson Olaño during the anti-drug operation.
Triambulo also explained further that the probe would help give recommendations in avoiding collateral damage in police operations.
“Para ma-rekomenda talaga natin kung ano ang gagawin para maiwasan ang collateral damage,” he said.
Triambulo also sought to look into the lapses of the law enforcers during the police operation.
“May lapses kasi merong namatay depende po ‘yun sa paglilitis kung beyond yung pag-control ng bata pero dahil dito tayo nagimbestiga ng lapses during conduct ng operation na yan kaya tinitignan natin kung merong kakulangan sa police procedure na yan,” he said./ac