One fatal mistake

The same highly decorated cop, who single-handedly rescued a six-year-old girl from a drug-crazed hostage-taker in August this year, is facing charges for killing an 11-year-old girl in a similar incident three days ago in the same barangay in Navotas.

PO2 Edgardo de Guzman, 35, of the Navotas police warrant section, was awarded the "Medalya ng Kagalingan" by then National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Deputy Director Gen. Edgar Aglipay and a letter of commendation each from Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina and Navotas Mayor Tobias Reynald Tiangco for rescuing Marjorie Ilagan from the clutches of mussel vendor Lemuel Ilagan, who took her hostage on Aug. 2. Ilagan has since been jailed on two counts of attempted homicide.

De Guzman, last Thursday afternoon, figured in another hostage drama, but his attempt to replicate the heroic feat in August turned to disaster.

The policeman is currently being held for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide after the four bullets intended for suspect Bonifacio Francisco, 37, went through his body and hit 11-year-old Rachel Valeriano’s body.

The fatal bullet fired from De Guzman’s 9 mm service pistol first hit the hostage-taker before entering her right temple and exiting through the upper back side of her head.

"It was a judgment call. My call to duty sent me to fire those shots. I had to shoot the suspect after seeing him stabbing the girl. It was just unfortunate that one of the bullets intended for him fatally found its mark on the girl’s head," De Guzman explained.

The police officer said he is confident the truth will bail him out.

"I did what I had to do to save that girl. It would be even more trouble if I had just stood there when the opportunity presented itself. If I allowed the girl to be repeatedly stabbed by the suspect, the entire Navotas police force would have been blamed," he said, referring to the Pasay hostage taking incident that killed both hostage and victim and the mass relief of the entire police force.

Both Northern Police District Office (NPDO) chief Senior Superintendent Marcelino Franco and Navotas police chief Superintendent Billy Beltran said they were standing by their man.

"We believe in the good intention of De Guzman. He did what he had to do under the circumstances. We stand by him," Franco said. "I believe he did the right thing. It was just unfortunate that the bullet intended for the suspect hit the hostage."

Valeriano was taken hostage on a boat adrift in the middle of waters off Barangay San Jose last Thursday afternoon.

Beltran said the suspect’s banca was about six meters away from that carrying De Guzman and the victim’s relatives.

"They were begging the suspect not to harm the victim, but instead, the hostage started stabbing her," Beltran said. At this juncture, De Guzman fired at Francisco.

"The situation was very difficult for De Guzman since he and the target were both moving because of the waves," Beltran stressed.

"Our main concern was to save the victim and upon seeing the hostage-taker stabbing the victim, De Guzman responded," he added. – With Pete Laude