ANGONO Police Chief Richard Corpuz on Friday, November 6, 2020, expressed doubt that policemen were involved in the killing of a man who was being treated for gunshot wounds in the emergency room (ER) of a hospital.
But he said the policemen were still under investigation by the Rizal Police Provincial Office for possible lapses in providing security to the victim.
He said security adjustments will be made following the incident.
Corpuz said the killing of Vincent Adia on a hospital bed was an isolated case.
"Medyo isolated case 'to, parang sa pelikula nga and then pagkakabaril napakaraming tao sa loob ng hospital, maraming nagpapa-checkup during that time," Corpuz said in a television interview.
"Sa emergency room, marami ding pasyente... actually marami doon buntis, noong nangyari 'yun talagang nagtakbuhan sila," he added.
Adia was shot three times in the head by unidentified men in Barangay San Isidro in Angono before dawn Thursday.
He survived the attack and was rushed by rescuers to Angono General Hospital. About eight hours later, a man walked into the ER and shot him twice to finish him off.
Corpuz expressed doubt that policemen were behind the attack. The gunman attacked right after the police investigators left the hospital.
Corpuz said it was a case of “salisi.”
"Sa Angono police station, wala pong kinalaman ang police station natin dahil kami nga po 'yung nagdala sa biktima mula sa area kung saan siya unang nakita and then noong nalaman natin na buhay pa, pinadala natin sa hospital. Dinala 'yan, tumawag tayo ng ambulansya," Corpuz said.
"'Yung kasing tao nabaril noong umaga, dinala dito sa ano, ngayon kailangan mailipat ng ospital... 'yung pulis natin pinapunta ko sa Antipolo para sunduin 'yung pamilya, noong pag-alis ng pulis, nandoon din pala 'yung mga bumira parang mga suspek na una ayon napasok nila 'yung ospital. Parang sinalisihan po kami," he added.
Philippine National Police Chief Camilo Cascolan said the PNP will not tolerate any lapses on the part of its personnel.
“Actually kasi there was really no threat anymore tama rin ‘yung ginawa ng ating kapulisan but we will have to investigate bakit hindi sila nag-iwan because siguro they were thinking already that everything was done for their best effort,” he said.
Meanwhile, Corpuz said investigators were looking into reports that Adia was a “womanizer” and may have been killed because of this.
Adia had been imprisoned over robbery charges. He was released in 2019.
Corpus also said they will determine whether Adia was involved in illegal drugs activities.
He said they were trying to obtain a surveillance camera footage which may have captured the incident.
The hospital management earlier said that their closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the vicinity were damaged and were not functioning. (SunStar Philippines)