PNP raising bail for cops in mistaken identity shooting

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police is raising funds to bail out police officers implicated in a mistaken shooting in Mandaluyong City, PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said yesterday.

In a television interview over CNN Philippines, Dela Rosa said it is their “moral responsibility” to help the police officers who shot at persons inside a white van whom they mistook as armed men.

“We’re putting up funds for them, how to help these police officers post bail,” he said. “That’s our moral responsibility because those were our people.”

The city prosecutor’s office filed two counts of homicide and two counts of frustrated homicide against Police Officer 2 Lawemuel Songalia, Police Officers 1 Ariel Uribe, Jave Arellano, Tito Danao, Mark Castillo, Julius Libuen, Bryan Nicolas, Albert Buwag and Kim Rufford Tibunsay.

Barangay Addition Hills watchmen Wilmer Duron and Gilbert Gulpo were also included in the charge sheet.

Bail was set at P40,000 for each count of homicide and P24,000 for each count of frustrated homicide.

The case against the police team leader, Senior Inspector Maria Cristina Vasquez, is still undergoing preliminary investigation.

Dela Rosa insisted the police officers will still have to face the consequences of their actions since there were two fatalities but insist they had no ill motive, unlike police scalawags.

“They were reacting to a report that there were armed men who were involved in a shootout,” he said.