9 cops, 2 watchmen charged in mistaken identity shooting

Nine police officers and two barangay watchmen were charged before the Mandaluyong City regional trial court (RTC) in connection with the “mistaken identity” shooting that left two people dead and two others wounded on Dec. 28, 2017, an official said yesterday. The city prosecutor’s office filed charges of two counts of homicide and two counts of frustrated homicide against PO2 Lawemuel Songalia; and PO1s Ariel Uribe, Jave Arellano, Tito Danao, Mark Castillo, Julius Libuen, Bryan Nicolas, Albert Buwag and Kim Rufford Tibunsay and barangay tanods Wilmer Duron and Gilbert Gulpo, according to Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Biay, Eastern Police District director.

The case was raffled off to RTC Branch 211 and bail set at P40,000 for each count of homicide and P24,000 for each count of frustrated homicide, Task Force Shaw head Senior Superintendent Florendo Quibuyen said.

Biay said the prosecu- tor’s office is still investigating the case against Senior Inspector Maria Cristina Vasquez, who led the team involved in the shooting.

Vasquez, her men and the barangay tanods reportedly opened fire at a white Mitsubishi Adventure that was bringing shooting victim Jonalyn Amba-an, 35, to the hospital.

The vehicle sustained 36 bullet holes and Ambaan was hit 13 times in the head and body. She was killed along with Jomar Hayawon, a construction worker.

Those wounded were Amba-an’s partner Eliseo Aluad, alias Bobot, 37, and driver Danilo Santiago.

Four of the 10 police officers tested positive for gunpowder burns as well as Amba-an, construction worker Murey Hamon, Jemar Altin and Romeo Resurreccion.

Hamon, Altin and Resurreccion were charged with alarm and scandal and physical injuries in connection with the first shooting, which left Amba-an wounded.

Earlier, Superintendent Enrique Agtarap, Mandaluyong City police officerin-charge, filed homicide charges against Aluad after results of the autopsy, paraf- fin test and crime scene examination indicated that he accidentally shot Amba-an in the head.

Agtarap also cited the testimony of a witness, Roderick Hife, a scavenger, in filing charges against Aluad.

Quibuyen said Amba-an was pacifying Aluad, who was firing a gun, when he accidentally shot her in the head.

The barangay tanods who arrived first were told that the Mitsubishi Adventure was the getaway vehicle of the suspects in the first shooting, triggering a chase that was later joined by the policemen.