Police clueless on 16-year-old boy's murder

MANILA, Philippines - Police still faced a blank wall on the slaying of a 16-year-old boy who was shot dead on his way home in Tondo, Manila Friday morning.

PO2 Jason Ibasco said no witness has come forward to identify the assailant of John Cristopher Paglinawan, who resided along Roman street.

Paglinawan sustained a gunshot wound in the chest and was declared dead on arrival at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center.

Inspector Armando Macaraeg who heads the homicide section of the Manila Police District (MPD) meanwhile lamented the practice of barangay leaders of bringing crime victims to funeral parlors not accredited by the police, as what happened to Paglinawan.

Macaraeg said the practice deprives police investigators of vital leads in solving the crime, since unaccredited funeral parlors do not issue autopsy reports.

He said the type of bullet that killed Paglinawan, which is vital in the investigation, was not determined since the boy’s body was processed by unauthorized funeral parlor.

“I advise barangay officials to bring crime victims to police-accredited funeral parlors to speed up the solution of the case. I have noticed that most of the funeral parlors patronized by barangay chairmen do not issue autopsy reports,” Macaraeg said.