CHR junks slay try case vs policeman

CEBU, Philippines – The policemen did not attempt to kill drug suspect Romeo Amoma Jr., before he was arrested, according to the Commission on Human Rights-Negros Oriental, based on the close circuit television’s footage taken from the gasoline station in Dumaguete City.

Amoma, citing the CCTV footage itself, claimed he was fired thrice by the backrider of a motorcycle, driven by a policeman, who came at him while he was about to have his own motorcycle gassed up.

Further investigations, however, showed that no shooting took place on that date, December of last year, and that Amoma was telling lies about the incident.

Jess Cañete, CHR special investigator, was able to locate the gas pump attendant who issued narrations about the incident, which now forms part of the CHR’s follow-up report, and the only certain thing was that the backrider, identified later as a police “asset,” was only pointing the .45-caliber gun at Amoma.

The CHR official said the intention was only to arrest Amoma for illegal drugs charges. He further said that if there was an attempt on the life of Amoma, then the latter would have been killed because he was subdued later on by the same persons, the police “asset” and two police officers who were members of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group.

Earlier, Senior Inspector Ryan Jay Orapa of the PAID-SOTG, said no evidences were recovered from the scene, such as fired empty shells of the pistol, if indeed a shooting incident took place that day.

Cañete said he will now focus his investigation on the allegations of Amoma that evidences were planted by PAID-SOTG members while the suspect was held at the Camp Francisco Fernandez headquarters at Sibulan town.

Cañete said the logbook was already recovered and presented to the CHR office including the counter affidavits of the police officers that were mentioned in the affidavit of Amoma. They all denied the suspect’s allegations.