PNP promises thorough probe into killing of Marinduque woodcutter in July
MANILA, Philippines — The provincial Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police is now conducting a pre-charge investigation on the police officer accused of involvement in the death of a woodcutter in Buenavista, Marinduque almost one month ago on July 30, the PNP disclosed Tuesday.
To recall, local woodcutter Albert Delos Reyes was shot six times in the back in late July after a confrontation with cops as he was chopping a fallen chunk of wood with his ten-year-old son.
Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP chief, appealed to the public in a statement Tuesday to let the investigation take its course.
The official police report claimed that Police Cpl. Jay Anthony Custodio of the Buenavista Municipal Police Station was out conducting "anti-illegal logging operations" at Sitio Pag-Asa when his team encountered Delos Reyes, who fled the scene with his accomplices and prompted the police to chase them.
Delos Reyes was eventually caught, the report said, but he "was armed with an approximately 12 inches bolo" that police said he attacked them with.
READ: PNP investigates alleged police shooting of man in Marinduque
The narrative of the encounter follows the "nanlaban" narrative of suspects attacking police and forcing them to shoot back.
According to Eleazar, an administrative complaint has since been lodged against Custodio and the former officer-in-charge of the Buenavista Municipal Police Station, Police Lt. Marson Lontoc.
Custodio has also been relieved and reassigned to the Marinduque Provincial Police Office, where he remains under restrictive custody, pending the final results of the probe on the incident.
“A thorough investigation is still being conducted to determine the extent of the administrative liability of the accused police officer,” Eleazar said.
“I have instructed the IAS to look into this incident carefully. For now, let the investigation into the case roll on,” he added.
Eleazar made the same appeal in the aftermath of the killing at the start of August.
He made no mention of the claim by the victim's family that most of the bullet wounds were on his back.
In the course of the investigation, Custodio alleged that he had not intended to kill the woodcutter and only wanted to stop his attack on him.
Eleazar assured the victim’s family that the truth will come out in the investigation and that justice will be served.
Delos Reyes is survived by his wife and three children.
— Franco Luna
- Latest
- Trending
