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Aguirre to head probe into Carl Arnaiz's death in police 'shootout'

Philstar.com

September 6, 2017 | 9:22am

Aguirre to head probe into Carl Arnaiz's death in police 'shootout'

Mourners carry the casket bearing the remains of 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz, accused of robbery and shot dead by police, during his burial at the San Roque Cemetery in Pateros on Tuesday. MIGUEL DE GUZMAN, file

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to take over the probe into the death of Carl Angelo Arnaiz, whom Caloocan police claim was killed in a shootout.

Duterte made the announcement during a speech at the 60th anniversary of the Social Security System.

"Ang sinabi ko naman, we will protect soldiers and policemen — no doubt about it — but always there should always be the element of performance of duty and you do not kill defenseless persons," he said.

"I'm sorry, but I will pursue the case against policemen and, if need be, they will go to jail," he said, in stark contrast to previous pronouncements to pardon police who are charged in connection with the war on drugs. He has repeatedly said, however, that the protection does not cover abusive cops.

Caloocan City police said Arnaiz robbed a taxi driver on August 18 and then shot at them, forcing them to fire back.

A police autopsy report, however, has suggested Arnaiz was lying on the ground when he was shot. Bruises and marks also suggest he was handcuffed and manhandled before he was killed.

READ: Autopsy: Carl Arnaiz 'unable to fight back' vs Caloocan cops

"Wala akong inutos na patayin mo ang bata. And even the enemy on bended knees. It's not the norm or rule of democracy. You saw a lot of it in the Serbian war, massacring all of the people there," he said, referencing the Bosnian War from 1992 and 1995, where more than 101,000 are believed to have died.

"I would never, never condone or allow it," the president said.

Tears won't wash away doubts, Bato told

Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Tuesday broke down in tears at a Senate hearing into the deaths, saying it hurt him that his personnel are being accused of summary executions.

He said that senators of the committee on public order and illegal drugs seemed to have made up their minds based on police officers involved in the Arnaiz case and in the death of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos at the Caloocan police.

But Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque, in a statement on Wednesday, said that "there is no presumption of regularity in a particular police operation when it results in the deaths of suspects." He said that according to police procedures, inquest proceedings are mandatory when a suspect dies in a police operation.

"These (inquest) reports have become even more significant given the circumstances and manner of the deaths of Kian delos Santos and Carl Arnaiz. They are necessary to remove doubt on any irregularity in police operations in which the death of a suspect happened. Crying during hearings will not remove these doubts," Roque said.

Dela Rosa, at the Senate hearing, denied that there is a police policy to kill drug suspects and the government has repeatedly denied that there are state-sanctioned killings.

"[Extrajudicial killings], of course we do not like it. If you are into it, I'lll see to it you will go to jail. Baka ako pa babaril sa iyo," the president said Wednesday. — Jonathan de Santos with Alexis Romero