MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas on Tuesday ordered the relief of the Philippine National Police's regional director in Calabarzon over the killing of the former employee of suspected jueteng kingpin Victom Siman, who was killed with 12 other people in a supposed rubout in Quezon province last week.
Aside from Calabarzon regional police director Chief Superintendent James Melad, Roxas also ordered the relief of the members of the Provincial Public Safety Company and Batangas Provincial Intelligence Group who were involved in the killing of Siman's former employee, Fernando "Pandoy" Morales.
Initial police reports showed that Morales pulled out a gun on the joint police teams, who were serving him a warrant arrest for illegal possession of firearms.
The policemen opened fire at Morales, who died from seven gunshot wounds.
Morales’ wife Merlita denounced the killing and claimed there was foul play. She said the policemen neither introduced themselves as lawmen nor showed them the warrant when they arrived at their house in Barangay Lipahan at around 2 a.m.
Roxas said that Melad and the police operatives will remain suspended pending an independent investigation into Morales' killing.
He said that the time of the service of warrant of arrest was dubious.
Morales' wife claimed that the arresting team dragged her husband outside of their house while she and their relatives were ordered to stay inside.
She said that moments later gunshots rang out and when she rushed outside, her husband was already lying dead several meters from their house.
Merlita also said that members of the scene of the crime office arrived immediately after her husband's killing. She said that it was as if the crime scene investigators already what was going to happen to her husband.
“Did that mean they already knew what’s going to happen? As far as I know, the SOCO usually arrive later,†she said.
There were suspicions that Morales' killing could have something to do with the supposed rubout of Siman and 12 others, including policemen and military personnel, in Atimonan, Quezon last January 6.
Several policemen, including police intelligence officer Superintendent Hansel Marantan, are being probed for the supposed rubout of Siman's group.
Marantan and Quezon provincial police office director Val de Leon have been relieved pending the investigations.
Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., meanwhile, the decision to relieve Melad after the killing of Siman's former "administrator."
“His relief from office would give way to an objective investigation into the Atimonan massacre. It will save the organization from further criticism and unnecessary harm and conclusions,†Revilla said.
Revilla also called on Interior Sec. Mar Roxas to ensure that Melad and other police officers that may have liability over the incident be held accountable under the law. with Christina Mendez and Dennis Carcamo