Cop in teen’s slay named Valenzuela police chief

MANILA, Philippines — The police official who was relieved from his post in connection with the killing of 17-year-old Jerhode Baltazar in August last year is back, this time as the officer-in-charge of the police force of Valenzuela City.

Col. Allan Umipig on Thursday assumed leadership of the Valenzuela police station, replacing Col. Salvador Destura – who served the city for nearly two years – in a turnover ceremony officiated by Northern Police District director Brig. Gen. Rizalito Gapas.

Umipig was previously relieved as Navotas City police chief and slapped with administrative cases of dishonesty and command responsibility by the Internal Affairs Service in connection with Baltazar’s death at the hands of police officers who mistook him for a murder suspect.

Sought for comment, National Capital Region Police Office director Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Umipig was penalized with a reprimand following an investigation.

“The case reached summary hearing and the rest were punished. (Umipig) was reprimanded,” he said.

  In a news briefing, Nartatez said 23 police officers, including Umipig, faced administrative cases over Baltazar’s death, with 12 of them dismissed from service.

He said the others were demoted and reprimanded while some were exonerated.

Umipig “did his duty as police chief in that incident,” Nartatez said, adding that sometimes “such incidents cannot be avoided.”