THE Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS) has ordered the dismissal of a police officer found guilty of grave misconduct that caused the killing of a six-year-old boy in Caloocan City.
Gian Habal, 6, was killed in April 2019 after Corporal Rocky delos Reyes accidentally shot him during an alleged encounter with a wanted person in Caloocan City.
Delos Reyes also shot Habal’s grandmother after she tried to prevent him from escaping.
He was administratively charged with grave misconduct. Criminal charges of homicide, physical injury and illegal possession of firearms were also filed against him. These remain pending.
The case of illegal possession of firearms was filed because the incident took place within the election period.
PNP-IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said Delos Reyes failed to prove his claim that he was chasing a criminal when he shot Habal.
“’Yung kanyang mga sinasabi sa kanyang counter affidavit ay very contradicting and sa huli ay nag rely na lang, siguro nakikita nya na wala na syang lusot kaya mag rely sya sa ‘in the performance of duty’,” he said.
(He made contradictory claims in his counter-affidavit. In the end, he relied on the alibi "in the performance of duty".)
The dismissal order was forwarded to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) for implementation.
Triambulo said Delos Reyes’ benefits were all forfeited following his dismissal. (SunStar Philippines)