Residents near the site of a supposed shootout that killed eight suspected robbers in Cavite earlier this week have belied claims by police involved in the operation that they set up a checkpoint to intercept the slain suspects.
This developed as the Philippine National Police’s national headquarters is preparing its own probe of the incident, according to a report on “24 Oras” Thursday.
“Wala po kaming napansin na naglagay ng checkpoint diyan,” a resident told investigators from the Commission on Human Rights, which is investigating the encounter.
Another resident said, “hindi ko naman nakita ang checkpoint eh… wala akong nakita.”
Police involved in the alleged encounter in Silang town last Tuesday had claimed they set up a checkpoint to intercept the eight.
Residents also said they heard one shot, followed by louder shots, with a policeman advising them to get inside their houses lest they get hit by stray bullets.
“Puro bala po naririnig namin, walang mga boses. May isang pulis lang na nagsalita na pumasok kayo sa mga bahay ninyo, baka tamaan kayo ng ligaw na bala,” one resident said.
On the other hand, a witness claimed seeing police personnel firing their guns but could not see who they were firing at.
Residents still scared
A CHR special investigator said residents may still be scared, and further investigation may be needed.
“Mag-co-coordinate na lang kami doon sa (Scene of the Crime Operations) Office kung ano ang result,” CHR investigator Tony Abbago said.
The PNP national headquarters will hold its own investigation into the encounter, but initially indicated the checkpoint was hastily set up.
Registry
An initial verification by the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office showed four of the eight handguns – two cal-.45 pistols and two cal-.38 revolvers – recovered from the slain suspects were not registered.
One of the remaining four handguns – all cal-.45 pistols – was registered to a “security agency” while the other three were supposedly registered to the slain suspects’ kin.
Cavite police chief Senior Superintendent Joselito Esquivel said their initial findings showed all the eight slain suspects fired their guns.
The CHR started its own probe into the incident, to make sure Cavite police did not violate human rights.
Shells were recovered from the “residential” and “elevated” areas near the encounter site. —NB, GMA News
