This developed as the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) directed yesterday 19 of the policemen to submit counter-affidavits on the incident that resulted in the death of four-year-old Dexter Balala and hostage taker Dio-medes Talbo.
According to Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay, the policemen’s counter-affidavits would serve as bases for the summary dismissal proceedings against those who fired five gunshots, one of which pierced the heart of the young Balala.
"We will know through their statements whether the standard operating procedures in hostage-taking (incidents) were properly observed," Aglipay said.
He said the Pasay policemen should submit their counter-affidavits to IAS chief Senior Superintendent Romulo Adduru and should also cooperate in the separate criminal investigation into the case.
An autopsy report showed that Balala sustained two potentially fatal wounds: a stab wound in his kidney and the gunshot wound through his heart. The child also sustained 12 other stab wounds and four other gunshot wounds.
Aglipay said the PNP Crime Laboratory is still determining who fired the fatal shot.
Senior Inspector Reynaldo de Guzman, chief of the Crime Laboratory’s Firearms Identification Division, said the laboratory is conducting ballistics examinations on 10 rifles and 28 handguns that were submitted on Monday.
The firearms included nine M-16 rifles, one shotgun, 19 9-mm. handguns and nine caliber .38 revolvers.
The firearms supposedly belong to De la Cerna, Chief Inspector Reynaldo Baral, Inspectors Edith Altera and Aquilino Almanza, SPO1 Alfredo Villa, PO3s Marco Duca, Rodolfo Soquina and Jose Jonard Castro, PO2s Reano Leano, Ashley Gamulo, Raymundo Sabino and Leoncio Muñoz and PO1s Jay Martinez, Roland Garcia, Roberto Landong, Lemuel Galang, Christopher Torres, Gregorio Mendoza, Florante Nobleza, Roberto Gonzales and Andito Guardian.
According to PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina, criminal charges of "reckless imprudence resulting in homicide" will be filed against the policemen. If found guilty, the policemen face imprisonment of six to 12 years.
The IAS is also preparing administrative charges against the policemen, including neglect and dereliction of duty and violation of standing operating procedures on hostage-taking situations.
Aside from the affidavits and the ballistics reports, the police also expect to use as evidence different video footage of the incident, autopsy reports as well as testimonial evidence.
Meanwhile, the Western Police District (WPD) special weapons and tactics team (SWAT) took the cue from the Pasay City incident and prepared "refresher courses" to be taken this month.
According to Chief Inspector Antonio Militar, WPD-SWAT commander, the 50 officers and men assigned to the SWAT unit and the 14 men of the WPD explosives and ordnance division will undergo training in rappelling, marksmanship, weapons handling and close-quarter battle. - With reports from Nikko Dizon, Mike Frialde