PNP chief renews call for witnesses to surface
(Eagle News) — Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar renewed his call for witnesses to the June 16 police operation in Binan, Laguna to come forward and give their statements.
Eleazar made the appeal after the Regional Crime Laboratory Office of PRO-4A reported an autopsy on Antonio Dalit, alias Tala, and the 16-year-old slain in the operation, yielded no other distinct marking, including signs of being handcuffed, on their bodies apart from the bullet wounds.
Prior to this, there had been claims that the two were handcuffed when they were shot by operatives of the Laguna Police Intelligence Unit.
Ten members of the Laguna PIU who took part in the operation remain under restrictive custody of the PRO 4-A as a result.
Eleazar said that a pre-charge Investigation for grave irregularity in the performance of duty is being conducted by the Prosecution Division of the National Internal Affairs Service.
He said Laguna PIU head Lt. Col. Arvin Avelino was included in the administrative charge for command responsibility.
“Muli akong nananawagan sa mga witnesses na mismong nakakita sa insidente na ibahagi sa ating mga imbestigador ang kanilang nalalaman para sa ikalulutas ng kaso. Tinitiyak ko ang inyong proteksyon (I am again calling on witnesses who saw the incident to share with investigators what they know for a resolution of the case. I assure them of their protection),” Eleazar said.
Meanwhile, according to the PNP, the Police Regional Office 4-A’s fact-finding investigation task group reported that Dalit’s sister expressed no interest in pursuing complaints against the Laguna police operatives for their deaths.
“Lydia Dalit said the family believes there was no overkill and that they are aware that Tala is a known drug pusher and ex-convict,” Eleazar said.
Meanwhile, the mother of the minor asked for more time to file a complaint-affidavit with the task group and requested investigators to obtain her sworn statement until after the teenager’s burial on July 1.
“The Calabarzon investigation task group will wait for her complaint-affidavit for the filing of a criminal case in the prosecutor’s office,” Eleazar said.
