Althea’s mom seeks CHR help in probe

ALTHEA Fhem Barbon, another young casualty of the war on drugs, in school uniform in an undated photo. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

DUMAGUETE CITY—The mother of a 4-year-old girl, who was killed in a drug operation in Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental province, is seeking the help of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in the investigation of her daughter’s death.

Rowena Lorica, 27, mother of 4-year-old Althea Fhem Barbon, filed a complaint at the CHR in Dumaguete City on Tuesday, accusing the Guihulngan police of negligence that led to her daughter’s killing.

Lorica said in her complaint that her daughter was shot by policemen who were after her husband, Pim Alrick Barbon, 31, who had been tagged as the fifth most wanted drug suspect in the town.

No witness

Lorica, who works in Cebu City, said she could not accept what happened to her daughter whom she last saw in April when the child turned 4 years old.

Jesus Arzaga Cañete, special investigator and chief of CHR in Negros Oriental, said Lorica filed a complaint on her daughter’s behalf only.

“The family is no longer interested to file a complaint for Alrick,” Cañete said.

Cañete also urged Lorica to produce witnesses to corroborate her statement.

“My problem is there is no other witness,” he said.

Hit in the spine

Cañete said he got a copy of a spot report from the Guihulngan police. The CHR, however, is conducting a separate investigation, he added.

“I can’t rely on their (police) investigation,” Cañete said.

He said policemen involved in the operation to get Alrick would be asked to submit replies if enough evidence is available to substantiate Lorica’s complaint.

Althea was with Alrick on Aug. 30 when they were shot by policemen who are after Alrick for a case of drug possession.

The shooting took place on Larena Street in Guihulngan.

Police said Alrick fired at policemen then fled on a motorcycle. Policemen gave chase and opened fire, hitting Alrick in the back. The bullet that hit Alrick exited in his chest and also hit Althea, who was riding the motorcycle in front of her father, hitting the girl in the spinal column.

Alrick died on the spot while Althea died after two days at the Negros Oriental provincial hospital in Dumaguete City.

Police had expressed regret over the killing of Althea, but several human rights advocates vowed to press justice for the girl.

In an earlier report, policemen said Alrick used his daughter as a human shield.

The Barbon family, however, expressed disbelief at police claims that they did not see Althea.

“They saw the gun used by my son but they did not see a child in front of the motorcycle,” said Alrick’s father, Lorenzo Barbon.