Marcos asks: Who are Jonel Nuezca’s padrinos?

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos said Tuesday the immediate superiors of Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca, who shot dead a mother and her son in Tarlac, should be included in the investigation as the police officer likely has protectors within and outside the force.

Marcos made the remark two days after Nuezca killed in cold blood Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony.

The senator pointed out that Nuezca’s police record shows his involvement last year in two cases of homicide, both of which were either dropped or dismissed.

Marcos added that Nuezca was also suspended for refusing to take a drug test in 2014 but dodged a case of grave misconduct in 2013 and of serious neglect of duty in 2016 for failing to appear as a prosecution witness in a drug case.

“Sino mga padrino nito? (Who are this guy’s sponsors?) The guy is clearly inured to shooting people like target practice, using his service firearm,” Marcos said in a statement, adding that Nuezca “could even be a regular hitman.”

“His immediate superiors must be automatically included in the investigation, according to R.A. 8551,” the senator added, referring to Republic Act No. 8551, which deals with the reform and reorganization of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

According to Marcos, a strong padrino and fraternity system was defeating the PNP’s efforts since 2018 to prevent influence-peddling in police recruitment through the RONMEDDS (Robust, Neuro-Psychiatric, Medical and Dental System) program.

The RONMEDDS program that bar-codes regional health service processes was put in place because the results of periodic psychological and drug tests were being bought or negotiated by political sponsors and classmates of police recruits and personnel, Marcos said.

“Republic Act 8551 needs to be amended and strengthened. Clear lapses are being committed in the psychological and drug tests for police personnel, as well as the periodic review of their behavior,” Marcos said.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect arrived in the house of the Gregorios and after a brief confrontation, shot them point-blank using a 9 mm firearm at around 5:10 p.m. Sunday.

Police said the suspect fled the crime scene onboard a motorcycle after the incident. However, a video of the incident made the rounds of social media and has now become viral, showing the suspect’s face.

According to Lt. Col. Noriel Rombaoa, chief of Paniqui MPS, the shooting incident happened after a confrontation between the suspect and the victims over the firing of a “boga,” a noisemaker usually made of PVC pipe or bamboo for revelries. [ac]