Car chase, shooting: No carnap try but mistaken identity

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – Senior Supt. Edward Carranza, provincial director of the Negros Oriental Police, assured the public there will be no whitewash in the investigation on the alleged carnapping attempt Thursday evening in this city, involving a law student and intelligence operatives of the City Police.

Carranza said there were procedural lapses on the part of the intelligence operatives, led by Insp. Don Richmond Conag, and this would be the focus of an administrative investigation to be conducted by the police in Region 7.

“It was not an alleged attempted carnapping incident as earlier feared by the victim (whose name is withheld for security reasons) but a case of mistaken identity,” Carranza told The Freeman.

This information came out after Carranza met with the victim, his lawyer Myles Bejar, Supt. Crisaleo Tolentino, chief of the City Police, and a few others.

Tolentino, in his initial special and pre-charge report to Carranza, revealed that based on Conag’s information provided, the intelligence team had earlier conducted an anti-illegal drugs buy-bust operation in an area along San Jose Street Extension in the city.

An asset of the intelligence operatives had pointed to the law student’s car, driving down that street at the time, as the subject of the buy-bust operation that had evaded arrest. This prompted the police to chase the car of the student who in turn believed there was an attempt to carnap his vehicle.

The law student recounted that an SUV suddenly cut across his path, forcing him to stop. But then he saw four men, armed with handguns, disembarked and moved towards his car, then ordered him to get out.

Fearing for his life, he quickly put his car in reverse and sped off the area. A car chase around town ensued with the men in the pursuing SUV firing their guns at the student’s vehicle. The chase ended at the police station where the student rushed to the front desk to report to the policeman on duty what had just transpired.

While at the station however he saw the pursuing SUV also entered the police station compound and at least two men from that vehicle were talking to some policemen before leaving. The victim’s car, a grey Kia Soul, incurred two rear flat tires and a puncture on the right side of the hood, apparently caused by a bullet.

Carranza said an administrative case is in the offing against Conag and the other intelligence operatives, as well as Tolentino for command responsibility.

Carranza cited at least three lapses in the conduct of the reportedly anti-illegal drugs operation that night, including possible violations in the rules of engagement.

Carranza said the policemen should have presented credentials from the moment they blocked the victim’s car; and, when the one inside the car was the subject of the operations, they could not just discharge their firearms without due reason.