Chairman of barangay watchmen who fired at van claims his people were fed wrong info

December 30, 2017

The chairman of a barangay whose watchmen allegedly fired first at a van containing a woman who was shot in a construction site Thursday night. claims his people were provided such information by a member of a group in the site.

“They were misled by a member of that group who told them armed men were inside the vehicle,” Kent Faminial said Saturday.

Mandaluyong police, responding to a call and informed a gunman was in the van, fired at the vehicle. Two persons, including the woman who was shot in the construction site, died. Two were injured and three survived.

The National Capitol Region Police Office temporarily relieved the Mandaluyong police chief and the 10 policemen involved in the shooting. Investigators are waiting for the result of the paraffin tests on the police and watchmen.

But he also blamed the seven people inside the white Mitsubishi Adventure van. Faminial said they should have stopped when their patrol vehicle was approaching them. “There was no chance for my people to verify,” he said.

Faminial said their peacekeepers are not allowed to carry firearms. But a police source said one of the three barangay watchmen executed a statement saying two were carrying guns. One of the watchman who carried a gun is at large.

The sister of Jonalyn Amba-an, one of the two fatalities, said she will ask  President Rodrigo Duterte for justice. The brother of Jomar Hayawun, the other fatality, said they will file cases against the policemen and barangay watchmen.  DMS