Video catches cop shooting alleged addict

MANILA, Philippines – Is this another case of “nanlaban?”

A policeman shot dead an unarmed man that he claimed was high on drugs.

The incident, caught on a video that has gone viral, showed PO3 Reynaldo Dizon accosting Sharief Amatonding.

Dizon was seen on video shooting Amatonding at close range. “Nanlaban” or “fought back” is the usual reason given by policemen who shoot down a suspect.

Police investigators led by PO3 Francis Tabile claimed the victim tried to grab Dizon’s service firearm.

“He was violent and was trying to grab (the) firearm,” Tabile said in a TV interview.

The incident happened outside the Rizal Commercial Bank Corp. branch in San Pedro City, Laguna on Friday.

Amatonding, a native of Marawi City and resident of Pasig City, allegedly became unruly in the bank when the cashier delivered some unsettled bills and he refused to pay.

The bank’s security guards reportedly tried to push out Amatonding, but he firmly gripped the handle of the bank’s glass door.

A security guard then flagged a passing police mobile patrol car and Dizon came out to accost Amatonding, who was still holding the front door.

Dizon said he was with other policemen headed to Muntinlupa City in their patrol vehicle on a follow-up investigation when the bank’s security guards flagged them down and sought their assistance.

According to Dizon, he tried to pacify and talk to Amatonding, who became violent, forcing the policeman to take extreme measures.

The video showed Dizon holding his firearm with his right hand while grabbing Amatonding by the collar with his left and trying to pull the victim from the door.

The victim, however, refused to budge. It was then Dizon let go of Amatonding’s collar and gripped his handgun with both hands before shooting the victim twice at close range.

The 54-second video uploaded by a concerned citizen was shaky during the portion where Dizon fatally shot Amatonding.

The person who took the video could be heard screaming as gunshots rang out. Afterwards, Dizon shot Amatonding a third time even after the victim hit the ground, apparently to finish him off.

Laguna police director Senior Supt. Joel Pernito said Dizon, an investigator of the Biñan City police, was placed under restrictive custody.

“We are evaluating all the facts and looking if lapses were committed,” Pernito said yesterday.

Pernito personally went to the San Pedro police station to oversee the investigation on Dizon.

Pernito vowed Dizon will be held accountable if proven he killed Amatonding in cold blood.

“We are investigating if there was excessive force. We will do not condone our people if there are lapses,” he said.

Earlier that day, the victim’s wife Amerah was arrested by the San Pedro police based on the complaint filed by the staff of Hotel Margelou Drive Inn, where the couple had checked in.

The hotel employees earlier claimed they heard screaming from inside the couple’s rented room.

When they tried to get in, the couple reportedly refused and locked themselves.

Police said the hotel employees complained the couple tried to evade paying their bills with Amatonding jumping out the window of the hotel to get down and run away.

“Hence, the hotel staff sought assistance from San Pedro CPS, the responding police officers were able to catch the female companion,” police said in referring to Amerah.

Responding lawmen claimed they found a sachet of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia in their hotel room .

Police said Amerah is facing drug charges as well as the alarm and scandal complaint filed by the hotel.