CHR, IAS start probe of carjack suspect's death

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have started their separate investigations of the alleged summary execution of reported carjack gang leader Ivan Padilla.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Leocadio Santiago said the IAS has assigned a summary hearing officer to the case while the CHR sent an investigator to meet yesterday with the 15-man team of the NCRPO involved in the alleged shootout.

“The summary hearing officer from IAS has asked for the affidavits of the NCRPO team while the CHR investigator is determining the schedule of the policemen for the questioning portion of their probe,” Santiago said.

Santiago said the IAS and CHR are conducting a separate probe of the incidents leading to Padilla’s death, the process of which he vowed would be transparent.

“There would be no whitewash. Let the ax fall where it may,” Santiago told The STAR in an interview.

Santiago told Superintendent Maristelo Manalo, head of the NCRPO’s anti-carjacking unit and his men to present themselves for investigation by the CHR and IAS.

“They (Manalo’s team) can avail themselves of a lawyer while being investigated if they want,” said the NCRPO chief, noting that yesterday’s proceedings was aimed to establish the tempo of the IAS and CHR investigation.

Padilla’s gang were reportedly about to sell a Toyota Camry stolen from former foreign affairs secretary Roberto Romulo when they were intercepted by Manalo’s team in Filinvest, Quezon City last July 29.

In the ensuing shootout, Padilla and a cohort, a certain Christopher, managed to escape. However, two of the gang members - Dale Alimagno, 22, and Glenn del Castillo, 31 – were arrested. They yielded Romulo’s Camry.

Padilla’s getaway car, another Toyota Camry taken from the driver of the vice president of Toshiba Philippines in Makati City last July 3, was recovered at the parking lot of the Cardinal Santos Medical Center the following day.

Padilla and a companion, Mark Inducil, have just sniffed shabu in Anabu, Imus, Cavite when intercepted by Manalo’s team in Makati City.

Padilla sustained two gunshot wounds in the head during a five-minute running gunbattle. Manalo’s Toyota Frontier sustained bullet holes in the windshield and hood.

The CHR and IAS stepped into the case after Padilla’s mother, Malou, who is detained for drug pushing at the Women’s Correctional Center in Mandaluyong City, and his relatives claimed he was summarily executed.

Santiago has ordered Manalo’s team “confined to their office” in the duration of the IAS and CHR investigation.

The NCRPO chief also directed Chief Superintendent Jose Arne de los Santos, head of the Southern Police District (SPD), to conduct follow-up operations to account other members of Padilla’s gang, including their four women “assets,” the recovery of other stolen vehicles, and the arrest of their buyers.

“I have no feedback from Gen. De los Santos as yet with regards to his follow-up operations,” he said.