PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Wednesday, July 3, said he has ordered the Calabarzon Police to look into the death of a three-year-old girl during a drug bust.
"It's very unfortunate na may nadadamay na ganito lalung-lalo na napakabata nito, three years old at that (It's very unfortunate that we have casualties of the drug war especially one so young at three years old)," Albayalde said in a media interview Wednesday.
Albayalde said he has directed the regional director of Calabarzon Police to determine who fired the bullet that killed the girl.
Myka Ulpina was killed after she was allegedly used as human shield by her father, drug suspect Renato Ulpina, in a drug bust in Manila Hills Subdivision in Rodriguez, Rizal on Saturday morning, June 29, 2019.
Also killed during the operation was the father, his unidentified cohort and Senior Master Sergeant Conrado Cabigao.
The child's mother has belied claims by the police that the girl was used a human shield.
According to the police, Cabigao had posed as a buyer but Ulpina and his cohort recognized him as a police officer and shot him.
Cabigao retaliated and managed to kill the two drug personalities as well as Ulpina's daughter.
"What is certain here is that ang naka-engkwentro was (police encountered) a member of a criminal gang, a gun for hire who was armed and dangerous," Albayalde said.
"Naputukan ng una ang pulis (The police officer was shot at first). In any firefight, lalo na kung naputukan na, tinamaan na yung pulis, siya ay magre-retaliate (In any firefight, especially if he has been fired at and hit, the police officer normally retaliates)," he added.
Myka was the latest casualty of the Duterte government's relentless war on drugs. Dozens of other children have been killed, according to non-government organizations. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)