Video to reveal police rubout?

A videotape will show the Central Police District-Talipapa Station policemen shot the already handcuffed billiard hall owner they had arrested during an operation in Sitio Mendez, Baesa, Quezon City early morning yesterday, the victim’s relatives said.

Victim Jeremias Pineda Jr. was shot dead allegedly during a hot pursuit by CPD-Station 3 cops to arrest him for an incident last Sunday.

Relatives of the victim, who asked not to be named, said the videotape is in their possession and they could prove what really transpired during the operation and that arresting officers PO1 Gualberto Abu and PO1 Pablo Basmayor shot Pineda who was already handcuffed.

Records at CDP-Station 3 showed that the incident happened at 12:45 a.m. during a follow-up operation led by Inspector Florito Raydu based on a complaint of Ronaldo Vila regarding an attempted homicide last Sunday. Vila filed a complaint against Pineda who allegedly had shot at him with a handgun.

Police apprehended Pineda and confiscated a caliber .45 pistol in a holster on the right side of his waist. When Pineda’s right hand was handcuffed, according to the police, he drew another handgun, a 9 mm pistol tucked in the back of his waist.

As the victim drew his handgun, PO1 Yacub Zunco shot him.

The victim was rushed to the Quezon City General Hospital but died while undergoing treatment of gunshot wounds in his left hand, left arm, stomach and right thigh.

The STARtried to reach CPD-Station 3 commander Superintendent Isaac Farol but he was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, in Caloocan, at least three policemen were ordered relieved yesterday for allegedly stealing a measly P500 in donations from a wake in Dagat-Dagatan.

In a directive of city chief of police Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao, PO3 Rexson Layug, PO1 Ernesto Villanueva, and PO2 Isagani Calacsan, were all ordered relieved from their posts.

They were sacked after Adora Almazan, 46; filed a formal complaint that the policemen raided her brother’s wake last Sept. 26 and arrested two "sakla" operators, taking along with them cash donated at the wake.

Almazan said that raiding the wake was already disrespectful for the dead, but taking the wake’s donations was too much for her and her family to bear.

But Deputy Chief of Police Isaac Antonio defended the policemen, saying that there was no way any member of the city police would even think of robbing a wake of donations.

Antonio added that the policemen were only doing their duty in arresting two of the mourners because they were involved in illegal gambling.

"Even if it is a wake, police still have the right to apprehend anybody believed to be gambling. And I am sure that the three policemen never touched the donations," Antonio said.

While authorities are still investigating the case, sources disclosed that the lost money was donated by the "sakla" operators. – Matthew Estabillo