MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City local government has sacked two cops behind the shooting of 22-year-old student Adrianne Dominique Cruz Castor and the subsequent cover-up in the conduct of the Quezon City Police District's investigation.
In a decision acquired by Philstar.com, the QC People's Law Enforcement Board found Police Cpl. Reymark Rigor and Police SSg. Bryan Busto guilty of grave misconduct after the latter attempted to cover up and minimize the shooting in his succeeding investigation.
The same decision penalizes Police SMS Neleazar Torrijos, Police SSgt. Fernan Concepcion, and Police Cpl. Jimbeam Fernandez with demotion after finding them guilty of grave neglect of duty.
To recall, Castor was on his way home aboard a Grab vehicle along Scout Rallos Extension when a drunk Rigor brandished his weapon at their vehicle. Castor got off to warn the vehicles behind them, at which point Rigor shot the student.
"Castor sufficiently established, by substantial evidence, that respondent, who was under the influence of alcohol, discharged his government-issued firearm which hit Castor on the chest," the decision reads.
Before the QC PLEB, Rigor argued that his drunkenness that night was a mitigating circumstance that should warrant a lighter penalty. But he did not deny the commission of the crime.
The board ruled that his intoxication and use of government party in the offense was instead an aggravating circumstance.
(Trigger warning: violence)
— Franco Luna (@francoIuna) February 22, 2022
WATCH: CCTV and dashcam footage obtained by https://t.co/8CrlUvKDLM show an intoxicated Police Cpl. Reymark Rigor of the Quezon City Police District shooting 22-year-old student AD Castor on Feb. 8. Story soon @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/rWlS4WwfSA
Cover-up
Castor earlier accused Busto and another cop of downplaying his injury as “daplis” or just a scratch before he underwent surgery. Busto also later admitted to categorizing the incident as “physical injuries” instead of frustrated murder to his supervisors; as a result of his claim, the case was never flagged at the QCPD.
"The board is in the belief that the limited information available to Busto was attributable to his lack of effort and negligence. Had Busto stayed and sought for the doctor's report, he would have had a more accurate spot report than one of 'indiscriminate firing resulting to one male person injured,'" the QC PLEB said.
The PLEB found that the slug taken from the student's chest was never taken by Busto for processing. The formal complaint also alleged that he left the hospital before the operation of the victim and without ever speaking to the doctor.
Instead, the board found that "it was Castor himself who surrendered the slug that was recovered from his chest to the [Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit] for it to be checked."
Busto also recovered a bullet shell casing in the crime scene and did not surrender it to the crime lab, instead choosing to keep it in his personal locker. Busto in his answer said that he had "every intention of submitting" the bullet, which he said was evidenced by the fact that he did not destroy it or throw it away.
The PLEB ruled this as a "malicious irregularity," pointing out that the crime laboratory was only on the second floor of QCPD Police Station 10.
"It was clear during the discussion with Busto that he did not substantially follow the procedure as contained in the [Standard Operating Procedure in the Conduct of Crime Scene Investigations] manual. It is held that the act makes him an accessory to the crime of frustrated murder committed by Rigor," the decision reads.
The PLEB also found that Torrijos, Fernandez, and Concepcion, who were all drinking together nearby, "insisted that the reason they failed to respond to the incident was that they were off duty, in civilian clothes, and were drunk."
Police Brig. Gen. Remus Medina, QCPD District Director reportedly found out that the three were aware that a shooting incident happened near Torrijos' house but did not respond.
"The board finds the excuse... unbelievable. As seasoned police officers, it is expected that they should know the sound of a gunshot...a police officer will always be a police officer regardless of time, may he be wearing his uniform or not," the PLEB said.