ISABELA Mayor Joselito Malabor said he is seeking justice for his daughter who was injured in a shootout between the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and two robbers at Barangay Sum-ag in this city three weeks ago.
Malabor said he will file a criminal complaint against those persons who might be responsible for hurting his daughter, as he believed that the incident was "overkill."
"If it warrants for me to file a case based on the results of the investigation of the National Police Commission-Western Visayas (Napolcom-Western Visayas), I will pursue it," he added.
On August 10, a pedicab driver died while three other civilians, including Malabor's daughter, were injured after they were hit by stray bullets during the police shootout in front of the Sum-ag National High School.
READ: Isabela mayor's daughter, 2 others hit by stray bullets
The crossfire came after suspects Armelle Espadon, 30, and his cousin Ryan Alib, 30, both residents of Barangay Canlandog, Murcia town, and remnants of Agustin Criminal Gang that engaged in gun-for-hire and robbery hold-up activities, fired at the Swat team during a brief chase following a robbery incident in Barangay Taloc, Bago City.
Ruben Cuelo, 38, of Murcia town, a cohort of the two robbers, is facing robbery with homicide charges
Malabor said the incident affected his daughter because of the injury she sustained from the crossfire.
The town mayor said her 15-year-old daughter is still recuperating because the bullet which came from a .9mm caliber pistol broke her joint. She will be under medication for seven weeks.
Malabor said he already met with Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, acting BCPO director, and talked about the incident.
"I have nothing personal on this. I just want a fair investigation to give justice for my daughter,” Malabor said.
Malabor said his daughter was supposedly on her way home when the shootout happened in front of the school.
"I even heard the gunfire while I was at home. If she only told us that she was about to go home, I would have fetched her," he said.
Malabor said policemen should be trained on Comprehensive Human Rights International Law so that there will be no human rights victims.
He believed that police have lapses during the operation.
On August 23, three members of the Napolcom-Western Visayas came to Bacolod City to probe the incident.