‘Bato’: Don’t be quick to blame drug war for death of cop’s son

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has asked the family of Yani Jebulan, a son of  retired intelligence cop SPO3 Alfredo Jebulan, not to easily put the blame on the police’s war on drugs behind the killing of the 21-year-old college student.

In a press conference at Camp Crame, Dela Rosa stressed that the younger Jebulan is not on the drug watchlist, adding that the police are looking at another angle in the killing of Jebulan.

“Huwag natin kagad kagad na i-attribute sa war on drugs ‘yung pagkamatay ng bata dahil lumalabas sa investigation na bago mangyari yon, galing sila sa isang sugalan. ‘Yung bata may nakaaway doon at meron namang CCTV (closed circuit television) footages na narecover so malalaman natin sino pumatay. Ang pinakasuspect ‘yung nakaalitan nung bata,” he said.

(Let’s not readily attribute the death on the drug war because the investigation reveals that before the killing, he came from a gambling session. He had a tiff with someone there and there are CCTV footages so we can see who killed him. The main suspect is the one he had a fight with.)

READ: Retired cop asks Duterte, De la Rosa to help solve son’s killing

“Again, sasabihin ko. ‘Yung bata na ‘yon, for all intents and purposes, siya po ay hindi watchlisted sa ating war on drugs. Hindi po. Normal na estudyante lang siya na anak ng isang pulis,” the police official said.

(Again, I will say this. The victim, for all intents and purposes, was not on the drug watchlist. He was just a regular student who happens to be a policeman’s son.)

Antipolo City Police learned during the investigation that Yani and his companion Arnel Cinco reportedly had an argument with another person or group at the wake of a friend, which was held near the store where they were shot.

Yani died while Cinco sustained gunshot wounds.

Antipolo City police chief Supt. Ruben Andiso said that Jebulan covered Cinco to defend him after he got into an argument.

READ: Argument at wake led to death of cop’s son?

The 64-year-old Jebulan posted on Facebook his plea to Dela Rosa to give justice to the death of his son.

“I’m begging you. Help me solve the unnecessary death of my son, please, or I will be the one to do it without your help,’’ Jebulan said.

“If I find out that one of your policemen had a hand [in] the death of my son, God forbid… I know you don’t tolerate this, but let me be very, very frank: If they know how to kill people, so do I.”

The third year psychology student at Our Lady of Fatima University in Antipolo was shot at close range by motorcycle-riding men in Cupang, Antipolo last Saturday.

The police chief also ordered the Mimaropa regional police to “pay special attention” to Yani’s killing.

“I’ve already talked to the director of PRO-4A (police regional office-4A) and I’ve given him instructions to pay special attention to the case,” Dela Rosa said. CDG/rga

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