2 cops indicted for Ormoc drug bust deaths

ORMOC CITY, Philippines – Two members of the city police were charged for the deaths of three persons and the wounding of five others during a drug sting here in April last year.

Senior Police Officer 1 Renato Singcol and PO1 Joseph Pilapil were charged with frustrated homicide and homicide, respectively, for the deaths of dentist Jay Movilla, Wilfredo Alberto and drug suspect Sim Serrano.

City prosecutor Marcelo Oñate said evidence submitted to his office pointed to Pilapil as the one who shot Movilla.

Singcol was identified by Rodolfo Villar as the police officer who allegedly shot and wounded him.

The charges against the police officers stemmed from a drug raid in Barangay Tambulilid on April 8, 2014.

The lawmen were allegedly out to arrest Serrano, who ran into a cockpit where guns were fired, killing two persons and wounding five others.

Oñate said the operation was legitimate but was not properly carried out.

Pilapil admitted to shooting Serrano, claiming he merely defended himself.

The prosecutor said murder complaints were first filed against the police officers, but the charges were downgraded to homicide and frustrated homicide as the killings were not intentional.