Carl on his knees when shot by police — Senate witnesses
At least two witnesses faced a Senate hearing on Monday and testified that 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz was kneeling and handcuffed when he was allegedly shot dead by two policemen.
Appearing for the first time in the ongoing hearing of the Senate Arnaiz’s death, taxi driver Tomas Bagcal pointed to Police Officers 1 Jeffrey Perez and Ricky Arquilita as the ones who killed the victim last August 18.
Bagcal said Arnaiz and another teen hailed his taxi between 12:30 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. last August 18, and asked him to drive them to Caloocan City.
But shortly after reaching 5th Avenue and near a tricycle terminal, the driver said his passengers declared a hold up at knifepoint. A trike driver, he said, noticed the commotion and helped him stop the robbers.
The same tricycle driver, Bagcal said, helped him bring the two robbers to a police station nearby.
At the police station, Bagcal said that a polcieman told him: “Itapon na lang ito sabay senyas, gilitan ng leeg yung dalawang hold-uppers. Pero sinabi ko pa rin itu-turn over ko sa inyo itong dalawang hold-uppers.”
At that time, he said, he was also afraid that he could be killed along with the robbers.
“Higit sa lahat kasi hindi ako ini-logbook , hindi rin nila tinanong kung ano ang pangalan at kung ano ang address ko at ganun din yung korporasyon ng taxi ko,” Bagcal narrated.
He said he was later told to drive his taxi, this time not only with the robbers but also with two policemen onboard the vehicle. He identified one of the cops as “Sir Lakay” or “Mr. Raras.”
Bagcal said they returned to the police station and left again with three persons in civilian clothes riding separately in motorcycles.
He said “Sir Lakay” then directed him to stop in an area where the cops killed Arnaiz.
“Pinagbabaril na po yung holdaper at nakaluhod po sya,” he said, apparently referring to Arnaiz, responding to queries of Senator Grace Poe.
(They shot the robber who was kneeling.)
Asked by Poe if he could hear Arnaiz’s last words before he was shot, the driver said: “Malayo po ako. Yung hitsura lang po nya: nakaluhod na nakataas yung kamay.”
Another witness, who identified himself as Joe Daniel, also claimed seeing the victim on his knees while being shot by the two policemen.
Daniel said he happened to be near the scene where Arnaiz was shot.
“Nakita ko yung mukha nung lalaki. Nakakaawa yung mukha nya…” he said, also apparently referring to the victim.
(I saw the face of the man. I felt compassion for him)
“Nakatakbo na po sya sa damuhan and then nakaluhod po sya noong binaril na may posas…” the witness added.
(He ran to the grassy lot and he was on his knees and in handcuffs when shot.)
Asked again by Poe to identify the policemen who killed Arnaiz, Daniel pointed to Perez and Arquilita. /cbb
