Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 22) — Two of the police personnel involved in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar in Navotas were ordered detained in the Senate on Tuesday following a contempt citation during a committee hearing.
PSSg. Gerry Maliban, who supposedly fired the first shot at Baltazar, and the team leader of the operation, PCapt. Mark Carpio, were held in contempt for their answers during the hearing which the senators found to be evasive.
Baltazar was killed during the police operation on Aug. 2 in Brgy. NBBS Kaunlaran in what the police said was a case of mistaken identity.
Carpio initially claimed before the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs that Baltazar had similarities with their target suspect identified as Reynaldo Bolivar.
But he later said they only saw Baltazar’s companion, Sonny Boy, adding that the warning shots were meant for the latter.
\”Wala po kaming nakitang tumalon sa bangka…. Ang nakita lang namin na nag-iisang tao dun ay si Sonny Boy,\” the police officer said.
[Translation: We did not see anyone jumping from the boat…We only saw one person that time, which was Sonny Boy.]
Meanwhile, Maliban refused to answer the senators’ question. When further pressed, he responded: \”Nasa piskal na po yung kaso.\” (The case is already with the fiscal).
This irked Public Order and Dangerous Drugs panel chair Ronald Dela Rosa: \”So, what?! […] Nobody can stop our investigation!\”
Senator Risa Hontiveros made the motion to cite Carpio and Maliban for allegedly lying and evading the senators’ queries.
\”Now po na nagre-refuse sumagot ng tanong ng komiteng ito ng Senado si Police Staff Sgt. Maliban at nagbibgay ng pabago-bago, nakakalito, at halatang di pa makatotohanang sagot si Police Cpt. Carpio, I move to hold the two gentlemen in contempt,\” she said.
[Translation: Now that Police Staff Sgt. Maliban is refusing to answer the questions of this Senate committee and Police Cpt. Carpio has been giving us changing, confusing, obviously untruthful answers, I move to hold the two gentlemen in contempt.]
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa ordered the Senate Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms to take care of the two police officers after the hearing.
Navotas City police chief PCol. Allan Umipig was earlier relieved from his post and will face an administrative complaint in relation to Baltazar’s death.
