THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will investigate the police operation in Minglanilla that led to the death of a suspected drug pusher and a policeman.
Leo Villarino, CHR 7 chief investigator, told SunStar Cebu in a phone interview that the agency assigned one of their personnel to investigate the death of Jovilio Franza. Franza’s live-in partner, Evangeline Briones, visited the CHR 7 office last Tuesday to file a complaint against operatives of the Minglanilla Police Station.
In a separate interview, Chief Insp. Verniño Noserale of the Minglanilla Police Station said they are open to being investigated.
In her Facebook account, Briones, who goes by the name Dong Ondong, denied allegations that her common-law husband was involved in illegal drugs. She claimed that she was with Franza before the incident and was riding with him on his motorcycle when a police car intentionally bumped them. The collision forced them to disembark from the vehicle.
She claimed that Franza ran away after seeing that the persons inside the car were carrying high-powered firearms.
The assailants, who she claimed were police officers, started firing at Franza. Franza was eventually hit during another volley of gunfire initiated by the police. Franza retaliated and fired back, hitting PO2 Evie Espina, which resulted in his death.
But Briones admitted her common-law partner was carrying a pistol at that time as he reportedly received threats to his life.
She also claimed that police planted shabu on her common-law husband to justify their operation. (JKV)