Princesa cop chief, 2 others  charged for suspect’s death

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) district office in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan yesterday filed murder charges against the city police chief, another lawman and a civilian employee of the local police for allegedly “covering up” the March 28 killing of a theft suspect.

Lawyer Reynaldo Esmeralda, NBI deputy director for regional operations service, said the district office filed murder charges against Superintendent Enrique Ancheta, Puerto Princesa police chief, before the city prosecutor’s office.

Ancheta’s alleged accomplices, PO3 Ronnel Cacal and Tony Laab, were also charged for being accessories to the killing of theft suspect Eduardo Tipanao, 40, at the Quito area in Pagkakaisa Village in Puerto Princesa City last March 28.

Tipanao’s mother Anita filed a complaint with the NBI-Puerto Princesa district office as she was unconvinced by Ancheta’s claim that he merely acted in self-defense when he shot Tipanao, who was accused of stealing P2,000 worth of items.

Tipanao died at the Ospital ng Palawan from two gunshot wounds.

Esmeralda said Tipanao’s “dying declaration” was sufficient evidence to file the charges.

Investigation showed that Tipanao was being escorted on board a police patrol car when the shooting incident happened, shortly after his arrest last March 28.

Police said Tipanao allegedly tried to grab the gun of Cacal, who was driving the patrol car.

Ancheta said he shot Tipanao twice in self-defense using his Glock caliber .40 pistol.

However, the NBI said that while the first shot was “accidental,” the second was “intentional.”