‘Fatality in Cainta shootout with cops not tortured’

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — Police authorities have disputed the findings of the forensics chief of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) that the security aide of senatorial candidate Glenn Chong, who was killed in an alleged shootout with law enforcers in Cainta, Rizal last week, was tortured.

Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza, Calabarzon police director, Superintendent Pierre Paul Carpio of the Rizal crime laboratory and Superintendent Serafin Petalio, Regional Intelligence Division chief of the Calabarzon police, maintained that Richard Santillan was killed in a legitimate police operation.

Carpio said Santillan suffered 21 gunshot wounds in the head, chest, abdomen, hands and feet while his  companion, Gessamyn Casing, who was also killed, suffered two bullet wounds.

Erwin Erfe of PAO said Santillan had 63 wounds in various parts of the body, including fracture and puncture injuries.

 “Let us not drag the dead into one’s political quest or the PNP (Philippine National Police) for one’s media mileage,” Carranza told a press conference yesterday.

Petalio said Santillan was killed in a shootout with the Calabarzon police’ special operations unit and not with personnel of the Highway Patrol Group and Cainta police.

Petalio said the car that Santillan was driving during the incident had been used to distribute illegal drugs. He said police officers also flagged down the car, which was registered under the name of Chong’s sister, because of its expired registration.