The remains of 24-year-old Robin Villarosa in his home in Blumentrit Manila. Villarosa was killed in a purported gun battle with the police on Sosiego Street in Sampaloc, Manila. However, CCTV footage of the incident showed one of the policemen shooting the victim three times at close range despite raising his hands over his head in surrender. INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II announced on Saturday the surrender of all five policemen linked to the alleged rubout which resulted in the killing a robbery suspect in Manila.
On Friday afternoon four out of five policemen turned themselves in to the Manila Police District after they were relieved of their posts over their alleged involvement in the killing of Robin Villarosa, a 24-year-old tricycle driver suspected of robbery. A security camera footage showed one of the policemen shooting Villarosa who was on his knees and with his hands raised in an apparent act of surrender to the lawmen.
READ: 4 of 5 cops sued for Manila ‘rubout’ surrender
“I am pleased to report that after assuring the Villarosa family of justice for their son Robin, all five cops suspected of the alleged rubout are now in police custody,” Roxas said in a statement.
“Ngayon ay maihaharap na sa hustisya sina Senior Inspector (Rommel) Salazar, PO3 (Ferdinand) Valera, PO1 (Diomar) Landoy, PO1 (Ronald) Dipacina at PO1 (Rhoel) Landrito na kasalukuyang nasa kustodiya ng MPD (Manila police district).”
(Now, Senior Inspector (Rommel) Salazar, PO3 (Ferdinand) Valera, PO1 (Diomar) Landoy, PO1 (Ronald) Dipacina at PO1 (Rhoel) Landrito will brought to the court after they have surrendered to the MPD.)
This was after the new Philippine National Police chief Director General Ricardo Marquez vowed to “apply the law to fullest” against the five policemen and assured that they will be put to custody. When he assumed office on Thursday, Marquez vowed to punish scalawags in the police force.
READ: Marquez vows to apply law to the fullest vs 5 cops in rubout case
Salazar, Valera, Landoy, and Dipacina surrendered to their station commander Superintendent Mannan Muarip around 4:55 p.m. on Friday. Muarip had said that Landrito would surrender on Saturday.
Roxas also thanked the members of the PNP for showing that even their erring colleagues should not be spared from the long arm of the law.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga miyembro ng PNP na nagsumikap para sa agarang pagresolba at para ipakita sa publiko na ang batas ay para sa lahat, hindi exempted ang mga kabaro nila dito. Maging mensahe ito na lahat ay pantay sa ilalim ng batas, maging ordinaryong tao, pulitiko ka man o pulis,” he said.
(I thank the members of the PNP who helped in the case’s immediate resolution and who exemplified to the public that justice applies to everyone and that their colleagues are not exempt from the long arm of the law. May this be a message that under the law, everyone is equal, whether you are an ordinary citizen, a politician or a policeman.)
Villarosa’s family filed a murder complaint against the police suspects. But while no arrest warrants have been issued against the five men, they will be put under restrictive custody at the MPD’s District Headquarters Support Unit. IDL