PNP: Cops behind death of minor in Laguna to face homicide raps

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said that a homicide case will be filed against the cops who allegedly executed a 16-year-old boy during an anti-drug operation in Biñan, Laguna.

According to PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the mother of Johndie Maglinte Helis decided to file a homicide case against the cops who are suspected to be behind the death of the minor.

“Nailibing na po ‘yung minor. And after mailibing, the mother of the suspect/victim, nagbigay na siya ng statement sa ating fact-finding team ng police region office 4, na magffile na sila ng case…before the office of the city prosecutor for homicide case dun sa tropa natin,” Eleazar said during a press briefing on Monday.

(The minor has been buried. And after being buried, the mother of the suspect/victim gave a statement to our fact-finding team at the police region office 4, that they will file a case … before the office of the city prosecutor for homicide against our troops.)

“But I would like to say, is that dahil nga merong reklamo, at nalaman natin na merong namatay, at na-check natin na galing naman sa pulis ‘yung bala, we will file the case,” he added.

(But I would like to say, is that because there is a complaint, and we found out that someone died, and we checked that the bullet came from the police, we will file the case.)

The incident happened in Biñan, Laguna on June 16, when police operatives claimed that 16-year-old Helis and Antonio Dalit, the target of the operation and included in Laguna’s 10 most wanted, fought back while cops were serving an arrest warrant against Dalit.

Relatives of the two, however, said that Helis was shot as he was handcuffed and lying face down on the ground after he witnessed Dalit’s death.

But. Eleazar reiterated that the PNP’s investigation has yet to prove that Helis was handcuffed and executed.

“Until now, wala namang ebidensiya na na nagsasabi na ‘yan ay nakaposas just like sa sinasabi ng media dahil di umano may nagsabi sa inyo na ganun daw ang nangyari,” said Eleazar.

(Until now, there is no evidence that says that he was handcuffed just like what the media says only because someone allegedly told you that that is what happened.)

“We opened our investigation, I even opened my office for any witnesses na magbibigay ng statement na ito. And yet wala pa rin naman,” he added.

(We opened our investigation, I even opened my office for any witnesses who would give this statement. And yet nobody came forward.)

Eleazar earlier dismissed the said claims as “hearsay” unless the witnesses themselves come forward to the authorities and state what happened.

Eleazar even promised to protect the witnesses, once they do come out.

“Pero wala naman so far, hindi ko sinasabing pinoprotektahan ko, pinagtatakpan ang mga pulis natin pero wala naman kasing ebidensiya, autopsy wala namang posas, witnesses wala namang nagsasabing pinatay na nakaposas,” Eleazar said.

(But nothing so far, I’m not saying I’m protecting, covering up our police but there isn’t as much evidence, autopsy isn’t handcuffed, witnesses aren’t saying they were killed in handcuffs.)

But he added that investigations on the incident will still continue, and that the criminal and administrative charges against the suspected cops will push through.

“Maganda rin ‘yan para sa pulis natin para makita na wala tayong tinatago at publicly and legally, makita ng lahat. Kung sakali man na dumating sa punta na ma-exonerate sila,” Eleazar said.

(It is also good for our police to see that we are not hiding anything and publicly and legally, everyone can see. Just in case they come to the point of being exonerated.)

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