MANILA, Philippines — The parents of 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz, who was killed in an alleged police operation, are calling on the families of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims to file charges.
“Many more have come out to speak openly against the abuses of these errant cops. It’s better that there more cases about these,” said Eva Arnaiz yesterday on the sidelines of the hearing for the murder case she and her husband filed against Patrolmen Ricky Arquilita and Jefrey Perez.
This was the reaction of Carl’s parents to the news that Ombudsman Samuel Martires had ordered the filing of a murder case against Staff Sgt. Gerry Geñalope for the death of 23-year-old Djastin Lopez.
This is the first time that the ombudsman ruled on several complaints over the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Oplan Tokhang anti-illegal drug operations.
Carl was killed in what police say was a police operation to stop a robbery in Caloocan. But an eyewitness said Carl was brought to a grassy field in Navotas and shot by the police officers while he was kneeling in surrender on Aug. 18, 2017.
Carl’s 14-year-old companion Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman was found floating in a creek in Nueva Ecija with stab wounds.
“They should all come out to file cases against the police. They shouldn’t be afraid. Look at us? We’re not afraid because we get our courage from our son,” said Carlito Arnaiz, Carl’s father.
“We should not let the police just abuse their power like that,” he added.
Djastin, an epileptic, was shot in what police say was an encounter along the railway tracks in Tondo on May 18, 2017.
While police said Djastin was a drug and murder suspect who engaged them in a shootout, witnesses said Djastin suffered a seizure and bumped into Geñalope, who pushed the victim to the ground and shot him five times while he was lying on his back.
Witnesses said Djastin raised his eyes and pleaded with the policeman not to shoot him.
The PNP, on the other hand, said yesterday it respects the decision of ombudsman’s decision to file a murder charge against Geñalope.
The ombudsman also ordered Geñalope dismissed from service and charged with grave misconduct.
“The PNP remains relentless in its campaign on internal cleansing and will never tolerate any abuse from our police officers. We remain committed to uphold the rule of law and Constitution, respect human rights and value human life,” PNP spokesperson Lt. Col. Bernard Banac said in a statement. – Romina Cabrera