Cop who shot dead ex-soldier faces homicide rap

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) yesterday filed a charge of homicide against a policeman who shot dead a former soldier near a quarantine checkpoint last Wednesday.

In a teleconference, QCPD director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo confirmed that a case has been filed against M/Sgt. Danny Florendo Jr., who was seen in a viral video shooting retired Army corporal Winston Ragos, 34, twice in the body after the victim supposedly did not follow the orders of Florendo and four police trainees who were with him.

“The investigation is ongoing. As of now, Florendo is for inquest proceedings, online... for homicide,” Montejo said in Filipino.

The case “is based on the findings and the evidence we have at hand. That is our basis,” he added.

Montejo said only Florendo was charged since they have yet to establish that he conspired with the police trainees.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said Florendo’s team has been recalled, disarmed and detained at the NCRPO headquarters while under investigation.

He added that the members of the team are being subjected to stress debriefing for being caught in a “traumatic experience.”

Ragos, who was discharged in 2017 due to post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Marawi, was accosted by policemen at a checkpoint in Barangay Pasong Putik for allegedly violating quarantine rules last Wednesday.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed Ragos placing his hands on the back of his head and standing on the sidewalk with his back turned on Florendo and the police trainees.

After around two minutes, Ragos turned around and argued with the police officers, who kept ordering him to lay on the ground.

Florendo shot him twice in the body when he reached for something in his sling bag, which police claimed was a .38 caliber revolver.

Witnesses and Ragos’ relatives, however, said his bag contained only identification cards and his quarantine pass.

The CCTV footage also showed a policeman kicking Ragos’ sling bag after he dropped it on the road right before collapsing.

The policeman then picked the bag up and brought it to a vehicle that arrived a few minutes later, without the presence of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO).

Sinas said “no tampering” happened since it is the “duty of the first responder to secure the crime scene.”

The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) and the Philippine National Police’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) will undertake separate investigations of the incident.

NAPOLCOM vice chairman Rogelio Casurao said their investigation would focus on questions regarding the handling of evidence and the first aid that was not given to Ragos after he was shot.

The investigation will also determine if Florendo used unnecessary force in neutralizing Ragos, Casurao said.

IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said the investigation would also cover Florendo’s immediate supervisor. ­ – With Romina Cabrera