2 cops sued over death of ‘child rapists’
Unlike recent “gun-grabbing” incidents, this one might actually go to court.
The Manila Police District has filed homicide charges against two of its members who figured in the death of two rape-slay suspects who were under MPD custody.
Charged were SPO1 Ramir Dimagiba and PO3 Rodel Benitez, who earlier claimed that a “scuffle” led to the fatal shooting of detainees Roderick Soliveres, 28, and Cecilio Bacolo Jr., 19, at their cell inside the MPD headquarters on Tuesday night.
According to initial police accounts, the commotion started when Soliveres tried to grab Dimagiba’s gun, which went off and hit Bacolo. Benitez then rushed to the scene and shot Soliveres.
The case drew notice from Commission on Human Rights chair Loretta Rosales, who noted that it was the latest in a series of incidents wherein MPD detainees allegedly tried to grab their police escort’s gun and ended up being shot dead.
Soliveres and Bacolo were facing charges for raping and killing a 7-year-old girl in Sta. Mesa on March 9. They allegedly lured the girl to come with them, after reading smutty tabloids.
The two suspects confessed to the crime before Mayor Alfredo Lim when presented to the press on Monday.
In a media interview on Thursday, Lim, a former Manila police chief, defended the actions taken by Dimagiba and Benitez, saying they were only defending themselves “in the face of danger.” They actually deserve praise instead of being subjected to investigations, he said.
Apart from the criminal complaint, the two officers could also face administrative sanctions in a separate probe by the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
