Shooting of suspected robbers an overkill?

CEBU - Allegations have resurfaced that the shooting to death of the three suspected robbers by Task Group Motorcycle police last Sunday along MJ Cuenco Avenue, barangay San Roque was an overkill.

Dr. Nestor Sator, medico-legal officer of the PNP Crime Laboratory-7 however said that this could not still be proved or determined because there are still no bases for such allegations.

Sator said that the speculations will only be clarified if the result of the ballistic examination on the firearms used by the said police during the alleged shootout will be finished.

Sator said that the situation must also be considered before branding the incident as overkilling because during the alleged shootout, each of the police brought their firearms and possibly all could have been involved in the said shooting.

“It’s possible nga dili ni overkill kay daghang police ang mi-participate sa shooting. Makaingon sad ta nga overkilling kung banatan ang kontra ug pila ka mga bala ‘nya way kadepe-depensa, pero kani sila kay misukol man,” Sator explained.

Meanwhile, the autopsy result conducted by Sator on the bodies of Werner Ponce, Abran Gabato, and Renato Pig-iyawan showed that all three suffered fatal gunshot wounds on the head and different parts of the body.

It was also found out in the result that the said shooting was not done in close range.

“There are no indications considering the absence of tattooing. Galing, naa’y mga tapsing, pero sa bukton lang,” Sator further said.

Sator said, as his sketch conducted yesterday also appeared, that Ponce was hit twice in the left part of his neck, left wrist, and twice also in his left thigh.

Further, Gabato was hit in his lower left cheek, right armpit, and left shoulder with point of entry said to be from the back; while Pig-iyawan was hit in the left side of his chest with two shots in his left arm. All three have fatal wounds on their heads.

Sator also said that there is already a paraffin test result which was however withheld because they are still to inform first the Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police Office as well as the relatives of the fatalities.  — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)