PNP eyes study on anger management of police officers

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking at studying the anger management of its personnel following the shooting incident involving a policeman which led to the death of a mother and her son in Tarlac.

PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said Monday that Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca seemed “okay” as he was assigned at the Crime Laboratory of the Parañaque City Police and that perhaps he was not able to hold his anger prior to shooting 52-year-old Sonya Gregorio and her 25-year-old son Frank Anthony Gregorio on Sunday.

“I think when I discuss it with our neuropsychiatrist, we might have also a new study also on anger management of our people kasi kumbaga okay naman siguro siya kasi sa Crime Lab siya na-assign (maybe he was okay because he was assigned at Crime Lab),” Sinas said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

“He was assigned in Crime Lab and he is on not on the [field], kumbaga sa support aspect siya. Siguro hindi niya namanage ‘yung anger niya kaya niya nagawa iyon,” he added.

(He was assigned in Crime Lab and he is not in the [field] and is more on the support aspect. Maybe he was just not able to manage his anger that’s why he was able to do it.)

Sinas said he was angered and saddened that a police officer has committed such a crime.

“When I saw the video, of course [I was] angry and saddened that our policeman has committed such a crime,” he said when asked for his reaction on the incident.

“Of course as a commander, we are very angry and saddened that’s why I issued a directive to our unit commanders to please remind our people to hold their anger in any situation para hindi mangyari ang same incident (so that similar incidents will not happen again),” he added.

Nuezca surrendered to police Sunday night.

The Paniqui Municipal Police is preparing to file a complaint for double murder against Nuezca. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also assured that an administrative case will be filed against the policeman.

JE