NCRPO orders deeper probe into scavenger's slay

Manila, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Alan Purisima ordered yesterday an investigation of reports that policemen tagged in the killing of a 13-year-old scavenger had allegedly been extorting money from scavengers at an abandoned building in Makati City.

“I wanted to know what was the motive behind the killing of an innocent child, whose dream is also to be a cop,” Purisima said in an interview.

Purisima directed Chief Superintendent Jose Arne de los Santos, director of the Southern Police District (SPD) to determine whether the killing of Christian Serrano is related to the alleged extortion activities of Chief Inspector Angelo Germinal, Precinct 5 commander, and his men, PO3 Robert Rinion and PO1 Nicolas Apostol Jr.

Germinal, Rinion and Apostol surrendered Thursday before De los Santos and were charged with murder before the Makati City prosecutor’s office.

Purisima has vowed to work for the dismissal of the three policemen from the police service as he urged the 17,000-strong NCRPO rank and file “not to emulate their bad example.”

The NCRPO chief also ordered De los Santos to identify police officers frequenting the abandoned building at the corner of Bagtikan and Kamagong streets in Barangay San Antonio.

Purisima issued his directive yesterday following a report by The STAR that several scavengers claimed that policemen would arrive at the abandoned building at about 2 p.m. to collect P500 from their group in return for their confiscated tools and gathered scrap metal.

One scavenger said the policemen started their visits since the building was allegedly opened to scavengers last April 20.

Meanwhile, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairwoman Loretta Ann Rosales said “the explanation by the policemen involved that it was a ‘warning shot’ that killed him is unacceptable and does not constitute a justification whatsoever.”

She said Rule 7 of the Philippine National Police manual on police operational procedure, revised in March 2010, does not allow warning shots. – Non Alquitran, Rhodina Villanueva