Cops in suspect’s death could be sacked if probe finds ‘lapses’ — Eleazar

Carl Joseph Alarin Bañanola, the suspect in the killing of octogenarian couple in Quezon City, was arrested on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. (Photo by CONSUELO MARQUEZ / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — The policemen who escorted the arrested suspect, tagged in the killings of the octogenarian couple, could be relieved if investigation showed there were protocol lapses, leading to the suspect snatching the gun of one of his escorts in Quezon City.

This development came after suspect Carl Joseph Alarin Bañanola was shot dead after he reportedly grabbed the gun of his police escort on the way to the headquarters on Wednesday night.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said on Thursday that the policemen may be relieved if the investigation proved that there were lapses in the performance of their duties.

“Yung mga cases kasi … kung baga [if] something is wrong, yung talagang posibleng nangyari kung eventually may mga lapses dun. ‘Dun na pwede i-relieve yan,” Eleazar said in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.

“Depende sa magiging result ng investigation. Sa ngayon naman kasi merong presumption of regularity ng performance and duty niya kung wala tayong makikitang lapses bakit natin mare-relieve,” he added.

Bañanola, the suspect in the death of the elderly couple–Nicolas Austria and wife Leonora–in Novaliches, Quezon City on Sunday, was killed Wednesday night in a gun scuffle with four policemen who were escorting him to the headquarters of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

READ: Suspect in killing of QC couple shot dead in police car

“Kung merong ebidensya na hindi naman totoo na nang-agaw siya [suspect] ng baril lapses yun,” Eleazar said.

Eleazar said it is also up to the recommendation of the district director of QCPD if the lawmen could be relieved.

“Ang usual ay recommendation ng district director tungkol dun tingnan muna natin recommendation niya,” he said. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)

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