Tarlac shooter cop may receive psychiatric services in jail — police

MANILA, Philippines — The controversial police officer, who killed his neighbors in Tarlac, could receive psychiatric services to treat possible mental health issues while in jail, the police chief of Paniqui, Tarlac said Tuesday.

“Opo, doon po, kami meron kami nakadetail na 24 hours nakamonitor sa selda and as of now, wala pa naman pong nakikitang kakaiba sa kanya but we are planning, kung ano iyong proseso, na magkaroon ng neuro psychiatry. We will coordinate po doon sa ibang agency ng higher office po,” Paniqui police chief Lieutenant Colonel Noriel Rombaoa said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if police will check possible mental illness of detained Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca.

(Yes we have people detailed for 24 hours to monitor Nuezca in his jail cell and as of now, we have yet to see any unusual behavior but we are planning, whatever is the process, to get neuropsychiatry. We will coordinate with other agencies in higher office.)

Rombaoa, likewise, vowed that there will be no special treatment for Nuezca, who fatally shot Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank over a heated argument about firing of “boga,” a bamboo-made noisemaker.

“Opo, prononuncement ni Presidente isang message na dapat iyong suspect natin is walang VIP treatment, and fair dapat iyong investigation, airtight iyong kaso, and then dapat mabigyan ng justice yung family ng biktima,” Rombaoa said.

(Yes, the President’s pronouncement in his message that the suspect should not have VIP treatment, investigation should be fair, the case should be airtight and justice must be served for the family of victims.)

In a speech on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that Nuezca was “crazy” for the brutal killing of the two victims.

A case for two counts of murder was already lodged against Nuezca at the Regional Trial Court ng Branch 67 ng Paniqui, Tarlac.

JE