Cop in bank shooting video charged with murder

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna –A policeman seen on video as he shot a man pointblank in front of a bank in San Pedro City in Laguna province last week was charged with murder on Monday morning.

Supt. Harold Depositar, police chief of San Pedro City, said an investigation found that PO3 Reynaldo Dizon had used “excessive and unnecessary force” when he shot and killed a man who reportedly ran amuck at a bank branch here on Friday afternoon.

A complaint for murder was filed against Dizon in the city prosecutor’s office.

Police said the man, later identified as Sharief Amatonding, arrived at the bank and became unruly, causing tension among bank employees and security guards.

“The guards could not handle (Amatonding) as he tried to grab their firearms,” Depositar said in a telephone interview.

As this happened, Dizon, who was assigned in Biñan City, was on his way to a police operation in Muntinlupa City when the security guards flagged his team down.

Aa team of San Pedro police was about 700 meters away from the bank but had to respond to another commotion in a nearby hotel.

Biñan, San Pedro, and Muntinlupa are adjacent cities.

A 52-second footage uploaded on Facebook showed Dizon as he grabbed and pulled Amatonding by his shirt. Seconds later, another policeman approached them and Dizon stepped back before shooting Amatonding multiple times.

Amantonding died instantly.

Depositar said Amatonding came from an hotel where he had apparently left his wife, Amerah.

He said they found Amerah in one of the hotel rooms and claimed recovering sachets of suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from the wife.  Depositar said Amerah was arrested for possession of illegal drugs. JE/rga