‘Cops in boy’s death not yet off the hook’

MANILA, Philippines — Despite testing negative for gunpowder, the four police officers involved in an anti-drug operation in Cebu City that resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy are not yet off the hook, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said yesterday.

Albayalde relieved the four officers from their posts to pave the way for an impartial investigation on the killing of Bladen Skyler Abatayo, who was hit by a stray bullet during a police operation in Barangay Ermita on Tuesday.

The four, whom Albayalde did not identify, were tested negative for gunpowder based on the results of the paraffin tests conducted on them.

He said the findings did not mean the policemen could no longer be held liable for the incident.

“There are several reasons why a person is tested negative, but we are not saying they are also guilty,” Albayalde said referring to the officers.

The service firearms of the policemen were submitted for examinations to determine if the guns were used.

The Cebu police is hunting down the four drug suspects who were the subjects of the police operation.

One of the four is suspected to have fired a gun, which may have killed Abatayo.