ANGUISHED HOMECOMING Rodaliza Baltazar, a migrant worker, weeps upon arriving at her Navotas City home and seeing the body of her 17-year-old son Jerhode, who was shot dead by police on Aug. 2 in a case of mistaken identity. Charges have been filed against the six officers involved. —LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines — The six Navotas City policemen involved in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar brought body-worn cameras — but these devices had run out of batteries.
The oversight was among the lapses committed by the officers, Navotas City police chief Colonel Allen Umipig disclosed on Monday.
“May dala pala silang body-worn camera. Initially, ang binabanggit ng nagdala is naubusan daw ng battery yung body-worn camera,” Umipig said over radio DWPM.
(They brought body cameras. Initially, the one who got it explained these ran out of batteries.)
“Well, kasama rin po yan sa lapses at mai-imbestigahan po ‘yan,
(Well, that is part of their lapses and it will be investigated.)
Umipig specified the police are required to use these important gadgets during operations.
“Well, sa lahat naman po ng operation, obligado po ang kapulisan na magdala ng body-worn cameras, kasi na-distribute naman po, ang body-worn cameras ng Navotas, doon sa mga substations,” he pointed out.
(Well, for all operations, police are obliged to bring body-worn cameras because these were distributed to the substations, the body-worn cameras of Navotas.)
“So naibigay po yung body worn cameras at naka-explain na din po ‘yung nagdala ng body-worn camera, bakit walang naka-record ng panahon na ‘yon,” he clarified.
(So, the body-worn cameras were given to them, and the one who brought them had explained why nothing was recorded then.)
Umipig gave the information after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the cops should have used body-worn cameras during the operation.
On August 2, policemen saw Baltazar and a friend on a boat preparing to go fishing.
Then, the law enforcers allegedly fired at both of them suddenly.
Police claimed it was a case of mistaken identity.
The teenager’s friend, who survived unharmed, said they tried to surrender, but the officers kept shooting, prompting Baltazar to jump into the river.
Criminal complaints of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and administrative charges have already been filed against the police officers.
The cops were also relieved from their posts.
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