3 cops in slay case post bail

Three Pasay City policemen accused of killing a man during a drug operation have been released on bail after the murder charge against them was downgraded to homicide.

Police Officers 1 Jan Erwin Isaac, Melford Olorosisimo and Benigno Baldjay of the Buendia Police Community Precinct were set free after they posted bail of P40,000 each on Nov. 6, case investigator PO2 Noel Burden said on Sunday.

The National Bureau of Investigation in May charged the policemen with murder but this was downgraded to homicide by Pasay Assistant Chief Prose- cutor Allan Mangabat.

The homicide case was filed with the Pasay City Regional Trial Court on Oct. 17. Arraignment has been set on Dec. 6. At the same time, the policemen are facing administrative cases.

They are accused of shooting pedicab driver Eric Sison 14 times on Aug. 23 last year as they were on patrol on F. Muñoz Street in Barangay 43 which they called “a drug-prone area.”

They claimed Sison fired at them but witnesses said they heard the victim surrendering and begging for his life followed by gunshots. His live-in partner, Rachel Bermoy, sought the help of the NBI and Commission on Human Rights.