PNP investigating lapses of cops in Angono case

November 6, 2020

The chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said they are investigating why cops from Angono did not leave any personnel to secure the victim who was killed inside the hospital when they left to look for his relatives last November 4.

 Police General Camilo Cascolan said in a press briefing it can’t be helped that the police were being blamed for the incident but he believed they did their best.

 “Actually those are already under investigation. Even the police will be investigated if they are involved or whatever… We will do our best to investigate,” Cascolan said.

 “We have to presume of course that our policemen did their best also but for any wrongdoing that they have done we never tolerate it. We will have to investigate each and everyone of them,” he added.

 Angono police said the suspect barged into the emergency facility of the hospital after they left to look for the relatives of the victim. The victim had sustained three gunshot wounds in his head and was being treated when the suspect arrived and shot him again.

 Cascolan said what Angono police did was right as they assume that there will be no more threat on the life of the victim.

 “Actually, there was really no threat anymore. Maybe what they did was right but we will have to investigate why did not leave someone behind… They were thinking already that everything was done to its best efforts,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a TV interview, Police Major Richard Corpuz, Angono police chief, said the incident is '' a somewhat isolated case.''

 Corpuz said because of the incident, they will strengthen their security in this kind of case.

 “It’s somewhat isolated case, just like in movies and then when the shooting transpired there are a lot of people in the hospital,” he said.

 "It just so happened, our policemen had a lot of tasks that day and then the police who was assigned needs to go to the family of the victim,” he said.

 Corpuz also said they were called by the Rizal Police Provincial Office to determine their security lapses.

 He denied that his men were involved in the incident.

 "The Angono police station has nothing to do with (the incident)… We are even the one who brought the victim from the area where he was found and when we found out that he was still alive, we brought him to the hospital,” Corpuz said.

 Corpuz said cops asked for the CCTV footage from the hospital to help in the investigation.

 He added they are also checking the victim’s criminal record. Ella Dionisio/DMS