Body cams of cops in teen’s slay drained

MANILA, Philippines — The six police officers involved in the killing of 17-year-old Jerhode Baltazar in Navotas City on Aug. 2 were equipped with a body camera, but it allegedly ran out of batteries.

This is among the lapses of the team being looked into by probers, city police chief Col. Allen Umipig told reporters yesterday.

“One police officer involved in the operation wore a body camera. He was wearing the body camera, but he did not notice that it was off because the battery was drained,” Umipig said in Filipino.

The six detained policemen have only been charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide due to lack of supporting information.

The body camera recordings could have been presented as evidence.

Officers of the Navotas police substation 4 were assigned two body cameras during the operation.

“The use of body cameras during the operation will be part of the case, because we learned that they were wearing one,” Umipig said.

Baltazar was shot by police in what investigators said was a case of mistaken identity.

The Navotas City prosecutor’s office is waiting for the re-autopsy report of Baltazar to determine whether to elevate the case filed against the suspects to murder.

According to Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, the request came from the victim’s family as the re-autopsy results could “potentially affect the nature of the charges filed against the suspects.”

On Aug. 11, the police officers reportedly visited the home of forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun, asking about her findings.

She reportedly told them, “Wasn’t it your job to investigate? Why harass me for my findings?”

Fortun said personnel of the Navotas City prosecutor’s office also visited her.

“The requesting party is the family. The report, when ready, goes to them,” Fortun posted on X, formerly Twitter.

She clarified that the initial case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide filed against the police officers was based on allegations of a warning shot fired during the incident.

Fajardo pointed out that the case is still being studied by the prosecutor’s office, which is awaiting official results based on ballistics examination.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. maintained that the teenager’s death at the hands of the police officers was an isolated case.

Commission on Human Rights chairman Richard Palpal-latoc said the entire police force must undergo retraining in performing their duties in accordance with police operational procedures and guidelines.

Palpal-latoc said the shooting of Baltazar was a “manifestation” that there are problems with the operational know-how of police personnel. — Elizabeth Marcelo