QC lawman investigated for fatally shooting cellular phone snatcher

A 15-year-old boy was shot dead in Quezon City yesterday morning after he allegedly snatched the cellular phone of a nurse and refused to stop when a policeman fired a warning shot in the air.

Francis Mejares died from a gunshot wound in the head. His companions, Joel Defeo, 22, and Richard Imbili, 16, were shot in the left shoulder and in the back. They were taken to the National Orthopedic Hospital and East Avenue Hospital in Quezon City.

PO2 Ruel Yepes, 30, said he shot the three suspects when they refused to give up after snatching the cell phone of Marlyn Pala, a nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City.

Investigation showed that Pala was aboard a taxi when it stopped along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City, where the suspects were pretending to be waiting for a ride.

One of the suspects then tried to grab Pala’s cell phone, and when she resisted, the second suspect twisted her arm, while the third snatched the handset.

It was at that point when Pala jumped out of the taxi and started shouting for help, which Yepes heard as he was a riding a jeepney on his way to the Galas police station.

Yepes gave chase, and fired a warning shot which the three suspects ignored, prompting the lawman to shoot them.

Yepes later surrendered his caliber 9 mm pistol to his superiors after the incident. He will be placed under investigation.

Investigator SPO2 Efren Sobrepeña told reporters that Yepes must answer why he shot the suspects in the head and back when he could have shot them in the foot to prevent them from running any further.

Teresa Mejares, 42, the mother of Francis, said her son was working for two policemen, who were assigned at the Galas police station.