Cop in PNP vehicle crash arrested

MANILA, Philippines — The policeman who drove the police vehicle that figured in a road crash that left five inmates dead in Barangay Payatas in Quezon City on Friday was placed under arrest.

Brig. Gen. Randy Glenn Silvio, Quezon City Police District director, said the QCPD is preparing cases of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property against the police officer.

“We had arrested the driver of the patrol car pending the filing of charges,” Silvio said in Filipino over ABS-CBN yesterday.

He did not disclose the policeman’s identity.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered an in-depth investigation into the PNP vehicle crash, saying a similar incident should not happen in the future.

Nartatez ordered the probe to determine the circumstances that led to the crash, an accident that also left four police officers and an inmate injured.

“This includes a review of operational procedures and any possible lapse in order to ensure accountability and prevent similar occurrences in the future,” Nartatez said in a statement.

Initial investigation showed that four police officers – a master sergeant and three patrolmen – were transporting six inmates to the Quezon City Jail on a patrol car when the brakes malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to crash into a concrete wall at the corner of Payatas Road and Legaspi Street.

“The PNP remains committed to transparency and will provide updates as more verified information becomes available,” Nartatez said, as he expressed condolences to the families of the inmates who died.

Silvio said one of the inmates died due to blunt force trauma in the head while the other four succumbed to severe injuries in the chest.

Quezon City aids crash victims

The Quezon City government assured the families affected by the crash of full assistance, as it condoled with the families of the five inmates who died.

“The city government will shoulder the necessary medical expenses, as well as funeral and burial services for those who passed away,” the local government said in Filipino.

“The city will also provide psychosocial support and counseling to help them cope with this tragedy,” it added.

According to the city government, it is coordinating with the PNP National Capital Region Police Office, which is leading the investigation,  to determine the full details of the incident and ensure accountability if necessary.

Nartatez said the PNP is extending assistance to the bereaved families in coordination with the Quezon City government and other agencies.