Manhunt on for Makati cop tagged in teen scavenger's slay

MANILA, Philippines -  The Southern Police District (SPD) has launched a manhunt for a Makati City substation commander who allegedly shot dead a 13-year-old boy scavenging at an abandoned building in Barangay San Antonio Monday afternoon, an official said yesterday.

SPD director Chief Superintendent Jose Arne de los Santos said Chief Inspector Angelo Germinal has 24 hours to surrender.

“If not, we will file murder and administrative cases against him and he will be a fugitive,” he said.

According to the Makati City police, Germinal – who headed Police Community Precinct 5 – has been disarmed and replaced by his deputy, Chief Inspector Antonio de Luna.

Germinal, according to the Makati police, disappeared after appearing for an initial investigation of the case at the Makati police homicide section yesterday morning.

De los Santos has also removed the current city police officer-in-charge, Superintendent Vic Loares, from his post and ordered an investigation against him for allegedly submitting “a late and incomplete” report on the incident.

De los Santos said he could not understand why the Makati police’s report only reached them yesterday morning when the shooting took place Monday afternoon. He added that the Makati police never mentioned that a policeman was involved.

The SPD director added that the investigation of the Makati City police into the killing will be directly supervised by the district. 

According to a source, witnesses have identified Germinal as the one who allegedly shot Christian Serrano while the boy was collecting scrap metal at an abandoned building at the corner of Bagtikan and Kamagong streets at about 2:50 p.m.

A police source said Germinal was identified by witnesses through a series of photographs of Makati police personnel presented by investigators.

According to sketchy reports, Makati policemen arrived at the abandoned building and tried to scare away the victim and two other boys by allegedly firing a warning shot. The policemen fired a second shot that hit Serrano in the chest. He was declared dead on arrival at the Ospital ng Makati.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay has ordered a full investigation into the incident. – With Mike Frialde