Cop shoots dead mother, son in Tarlac

MANILA, Philippines — An off-duty policeman shot dead at point-blank range his elderly female neighbor and her son after an altercation in Paniqui, Tarlac on Sunday afternoon.

Police Staff Sgt. Jonel Nuezca, 46, of the Parañaque City Crime Laboratory, later surrendered to the police station in nearby Rosales, Pangasinan after he shot twice in the head Sonya Rufino Gregorio, 52, and her son Frank Anthony, 25.

The shooting incident was caught on cell phone camera and has since gone viral on social media.

In a video uploaded by the civic organization Kaisa San Rafael, Nuezca was seen confronting Gregorio and her son before the suspect shot the victims at close range.

Paniqui police chief Lt. Col. Noriel Rombaoa said Nuezca surrendered to the police in Rosales and is now in the custody of the Paniqui police.

Investigators said Nuezca, in civilian clothes, confronted Frank Anthony over the loud noise caused by a PVC pipe cannon or “boga” in the premises of the Gregorio clan in Barangay Cabayawasan, Paniqui at about 5:10 p.m. on Dec. 20.

Sonya came to the aid of her son.

Nuezca’s left hand grasped the pants of Frank Anthony while his other hand held a gun.

Police said Nuezca shot the mother and son using a 9mm pistol while the suspect’s daughter took videos of the confrontation with a cell phone.

Another video taken during the incident also showed Nuezca’s daughter shouting that her father was a policeman, a few seconds before shots rang out.

In the video, Nuezca shot the victims after the elder Gregorio taunted the suspect’s daughter.

“He might have been insulted, that’s what triggered (the whole thing),” Rombaoa added.

The incident has since prompted backlash against the police force, especially on issues allowing plainclothes policemen to carry guns and allowing cops who had faced criminal and administrative charges to return to the service.

Police said the suspect fled on his motorcycle after the incident. But at around 6:19 p.m. on the same day, Nuezca surrendered to the Pangasinan police.

Personnel of Paniqui police later proceeded to Rosales and picked up the suspect.

Police said Nuezca is now facing double murder charges.

Rombaoa said that previously, Nuezca and the Gregorios were also involved in a dispute over right-of-way in their area since their houses were adjacent.

Police said the dispute was supposedly settled at the barangay office, but conflict continued amid claims that the right of way granted by Nuezca to the Gregorios turned out to be too narrow to accommodate a vehicle.

Central Luzon police director Brig. Gen. Val de Leon said police investigators would file double murder charges against Nuezca.

Major Fernando Fernandez, Rosales police chief, said Nuezca told investigators that he proceeded to his brother’s residence in Rosales after the crime and then went to the police station to surrender.

Fernandez said Nuezca alleged that he became fed up with the land dispute with the victims whenever he would go home to Paniqui. “He was remorseful but he should face the consequences,” he said.

He immediately coordinated with the Paniqui police to turn over Nuezca for proper disposition and filing of appropriate charges.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Tarlac prosecutors filed charges of two counts of murder against Nuezca before the regional trial court of Paniqui.

Guevarra said Tarlac Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Manuel Pascua Jr. issued a resolution to file charges of two counts of murder against the policeman.

“The DOJ will closely monitor developments in this case and ensure that justice is done,” said Guevarra.

NCRPO acting chief Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. told chiefs of police in Metro Manila to advise their cops to exercise restraint after seeing the video that showed Nuezca shooting his neighbors.

Danao said it was a good thing that Nuezca surrendered.

He also ordered chiefs of police to monitor their personnel, particularly in using firearms that would no longer be sealed with tape.

A document from Central Luzon police showed that administrative charges were filed against Nuezca for grave misconduct and homicide last year.

In 2016, Nuezca was charged for neglect of duty for missing a trial in a drug case wherein he was a witness. He was also charged for grave misconduct in 2013.

All these charges had been dropped or dismissed for lack of evidence, save for his 2014 case of serious neglect of duty for refusing to submit to a drug test, which resulted in a 31-day suspension.

“All of these cases were dismissed because of lack of evidence and witnesses to pursue the administrative charges,” PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas told reporters yesterday.

“So most likely, the criminal charges (corresponding to these admin charges) were also not filed against him,” he added.

Sinas, when asked about giving charged cops assignments, said while they recognize that these things could serve as red flags, Nuezca’s charges were dropped and “therefore he still has the right to bear firearms.”

“If we have no reason to relieve, detain and disarm our men, even if they have cases, we will not do that. We still observe due process in our procedures here,” Sinas added.

National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) president Edre Olalia said, “When those who swear to execute the laws goad and inspire law enforcers because of guarantees of impunity and even a pat on the back, you create monsters in our midst ready to go berserk anytime, anywhere for a variety of reasons and circumstances.”

“And then they cry due process for denying due process to others. That is the irony yet price we have to pay to remain civilized that should not be lost on us,” he added.

Military Ordinariate Bishop Oscar Florencio yesterday called for a fair and just investigation on the police officer who shot dead his neighbors.

Florencio said that he was saddened that such incident took place at a time when Christmas is just five days away, and when there is still a coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a pity that we have people killed in this time of pandemic and in the season nearing Christmas. This is uncalled for,” Florencio said.

CHR probe

The Commission on Human Rights condemned the killing of the Gregorios by the police officer in Tarlac as the CHR’s Region 3 office was ordered to conduct its own investigation of the incident.

“Such brazen, senseless killing deserves our strongest condemnation. While investigations continue to ascertain the reason for the altercation, no one deserves to be deprived of their life at whim,” lawyer Jacqueline de Guia, CHR spokesperson, said in a statement issued yesterday.

“The police force is expected to be disciplined, discerning and professional. The PNP (Philipine National Police) ought to live by their motto of ‘To Serve and Protect’. Each and every police is expected to protect our rights. As such, it is unacceptable when they are the ones being at the forefront of perpetuating such human rights violations,” De Guia said.

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and several members of the House of Representatives condemned yesterday the policeman who shot the mother and son in Paniqui.

“Police officers must be reminded that force and firearms may only be used if other means remain ineffective or without any promise of achieving the intended result,” Velasco said.

Members of the left-wing Makabayan bloc expressed the same sentiments and pinned the blame on President Duterte, even if Nuezca’s act was not related to his duties as a policeman, but rather a personal one.

“Under Duterte, the PNP has been transformed into a force to terrorize and repress the people. The police are the terrorists! The killings and police brutality must end. Impunity must end. Enough with the normalization of state terrorism,” they declared.

The spokesman for Vice President Leni Robredo condemned the killing of a mother and son by a police officer in Paniqui, Tarlac.

“I was shocked to see this brazen, cold-blooded murder in my own community. Then I realized, murders like this, of sons and mothers, in broad daylight, have been happening in all our communities the past four years. This is now our reality. #StopTheKillingsPH,” lawyer Barry Gutierrez said in a post on Twitter.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte warned abusive policemen that they are not welcome in the city as she condemed the killing of the Gregorios. — Evelyn Macairan, Delon Porcalla, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ghio Ong, Mayen Jaymalin, Rhodina Villanueva, Helen Flores, Ding Cervantes, Eva Visperas, Artemio Dumlao