Murder charge filed vs cop who killed senior officer

MANILA, Philippines — A charge for murder has been filed against a policeman who shot dead his senior officer inside their barracks at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

The complaint was filed by the family of victim Police Executive Master Sergeant Edwin San Joaquin against the suspect, 28-year-old Cpl. Bryan Jorkis Quinagoran on April 17, a day after the killing.

Quinagoran is currently detained at the Taguig City Custodial Facility. The case against him was presided over by the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office through electronic inquest, according to a report from the NCRPO on Monday.

Police said the 47-year old victim, an officer of the 8th Mobile Force Company of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO)-Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB), was shot at the Rapid Deployment Company 1 Barracks of the RMFB at 8:48 a.m. on April 16.

Initial investigations showed San Joaquin was having a conversation with a duty radio operator when the suspect suddenly appeared from barracks 1 and shot him twice. The victim managed to run towards barracks 2 but the suspect ran after him and gave another shot.

San Joaquin was rushed to Parañaque Doctors Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Seized from the suspect were a 9mm pistol, two fired cartridge cases, and a fired bullet.

Police have yet to establish the motive for the killing, but NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said investigation on the incident is still ongoing.

“We are looking into a lot of possible scenarios that may have driven PCPL Quinagoran to do this to his senior officer. Guaranteed that we will fully investigate this case and that justice will be given to the family of our fallen comrade,” he said.

EDV