Biñan cops face homicide raps

The CALABARZON regional police on Tuesday announced that it has filed homicide cases against 10 of their own over the operation that killed a drug suspect and a 16-year-old boy in Biñan City, Laguna, last month.

CALABARZON police regional director Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz disclosed that among those charged was Capt. Fernando Credo, who led the operation of the Laguna Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB).

Members of the regional police fact finding investigation task group filed the case on Monday at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Biñan, using the complaint affidavit of the minor’s mother as basis.

The 16-year-old teen — identified as Johndy Helis — was killed in police operations conducted in Barangay Canlalay on 16 June.

Members of the regional police fact finding investigation task group filed the case on Monday at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Biñan.

To recall, operatives said in their report that drug suspect Antonio Dalit and Helis initiated a shootout while they were trying to arrest Dalit, who was the province’s 10th most wanted person.

Helis’ relatives, however, claimed that he did not engage policemen in a shootout.

Previously, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar revealed that the bullet slugs taken from Helis’ body matched with a caliber-.45 pistol submitted by an operative bearing the rank of senior master sergeant.

A fired bullet from Dalit’s body, on the other hand, matched a cal-.45 pistol owned by a commissioned officer.

The PNP chief, however, noted that forensic investigators found traces of gunpowder nitrate on Helis and Dalit’s bodies, and did not see any sign that they were restrained.

Dalit’s sister, Lydia, told police that their family was not interested in pursuing complaints against the PIB operatives as they believe there was no overkill and they are aware that the suspect is a known drug pusher and ex-convict.