Carl shot in legit operation, accused cops maintain

Two police officers accused of killing 19-year-old student Carl Angelo Arnaiz maintained that the victim died in a legitimate operation.

PO1 Jeffrey Perez and PO1 Ricky Arquilita also asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss the criminal complaints filed against them by Arnaiz’s parents, Carlito and Eva.

The two police officers are accused of committing murder and planting of evidence under Section 38 of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act) and Section 29 of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

“The incident which resulted to the death of Carl Angelo Arnaiz was a result of legitimate police operation and we cannot be faulted and no criminal complaint/ charges could be filed against us,” read their joint counter-affidavit filed yesterday.

They attached to their counter-affidavit the initial sworn affidavits of taxi driver Tomas Bagcal, who claimed being robbed by Arnaiz in Caloocan City on August 18, the same day the student was killed.

“At around 3:30 a.m. on 18 August 2017 while we were conducting detective beat patrol along the stretch of C-3 Road, Caloocan City…we were approached by a certain Tomas Marleo Bacgal… he reported to us that he was held up (robbed) by his passenger, he was asking for the nearest police station, he described the appearance of person who robbed him and what he was wearing then,” they recounted.

The respondents claimed Arnaiz “instead of stopping, faced us, drew his gun and started shooting us.”

They also claimed they instinctively fired back to protect themselves.