MANILA, Philippines – Eight police officers involved in the killing of 17-year-old Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar are facing administrative charges, Navotas City Police Chief Colonel Allan Umipig said on Saturday.
“Walo po [ang nasampahan ng administrative charge]. Nafile na po. Pero ‘pag conduct po ng investigation, doon pa lang malalaman kung ano ang specific title,” Umipig told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview on Saturday.
(Eight cops are facing administrative charges. They have been filed. But only when an investigation is conducted will it be known what the specific charges are.)
Umipig had to clarify that the number of cops filed with administrative charges did not increase, saying that they identified eight people from the very beginning of the investigation.
“Ang administrative charge, walo po kaagad ‘yan dahil kasama na po sa administratibo ang commander at assistant,” he added.
(In terms of those facing administrative charges, that’s eight people immediately because the commander and assistant are included.)
But Umipig said only six cops are facing criminal charges. Asked what specific criminal case it was, he answered that it was homicide through reckless imprudence. He, however, clarified that it may still change or escalate as they are still collecting evidence from the incident.
“Magkaiba po ang [criminal charge]. Anim lang po ang may criminal charge, ‘yung anim lang po na na-identify na pumutok ng baril. ‘Yun po ang anim,” he clarified.
(The criminal charge is different. Only six cops have criminal charges; those six were identified as to have fired their guns. That’s six.)
Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar was killed on August 2 after Navotas policemen shot the teen, mistaking him for a murder suspect.
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