PNP: Jolo Revilla’s doctors concealed shooting

Jolo Revilla

Administrative  charges have been filed against three doctors and four security guards for their refusal to cooperate with policemen investigating the shooting of Cavite Vice Gov. Jolo Revilla, son of  detained Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

As for Jolo, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has asked the Department of Justice to determine if he violated gun control laws since the incident involved a government-issued firearm.

PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Bartolome Tobias said in a press briefing on Tuesday that three doctors at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City were charged administratively in the Professional Regulation Commission on May 5 for failing to report the shooting.

According to Tobias, doctors  Edgar Mendiola, Gracita Ybiernas and Eden Lasala were mandated by law to report the incident under Executive Order No. 212.

The Inquirer tried but failed to reach hospital officials for comment but repeated calls to the department concerned went unanswered.

The four security personnel—three of them working for the hospital and the fourth assigned to the Ayala Alabang Village where Jolo lives—were charged after they “refused to cooperate, misled the investigators and refused to tell the truth as to what really happened.”

“The security guards at the hospital denied that [Jolo] was admitted there, while the security officer at the village did not tell the truth [about whether there] was [a shooting] incident inside the village. They hid the truth. They concealed the facts, so that’s obstruction of justice,” Tobias said.

The Muntinlupa police filed the administrative cases against the four security personnel in the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies on April 29.

The four were identified as Julius Baniago, Dondon Roslinda and Frobel Aloro of the Alarm Security and Investigation Services, all assigned to Asian Hospital, and security officer Jose Torrendon of the Bulldog Security Agency, assigned to the Ayala Alabang Village.

They were charged with violating professional conduct and ethics under Republic Act No. 5487, or the Private Security Agency Law. The two security agencies, on the other hand, may also be held liable for violating the Security Agency Operators Creed and Code of Conduct under the same law.

Tobias said the PNP would also file this week criminal charges of obstruction of justice and disobeying a police officer’s order against the four guards.

Should they be found guilty of the administrative charges, the PNP may revoke their licenses.

Jolo was rushed to Asian Hospital on Feb. 28 for a gunshot wound in the chest, supposedly from a government-issued Glock 27 .40-cal.  pistol which went off as he was cleaning it inside the family house in Ayala Alabang Village.

Speculation arose as to whether the younger Revilla shot himself intentionally or by accident. His family, however, claimed the shooting was an accident.

Based on the investigation conducted by the Muntinlupa City police led by its police chief Senior Supt. Allan Nobleza, it was not clear if Jolo deliberately shot himself.

“We cannot make a conclusion if it was self-inflicted, accidental or not. The pieces of evidence cannot categorically [say],” said Tobias.

According to Nobleza, Jolo and his family did not give statements to the police and also refused their request to let them inspect the family’s house.

Nobleza noted that the Glock  which caused the injury was issued to Jolo by the Cavite provincial government, hence it was government-owned.

“The National Capital Region Police Office regional director finds it prudent…to refer the facts and circumstances surrounding the firearm…to the justice secretary for evaluation and advice in relation to the gun control law,” Tobias said.