The Daily Manila Shimbun

 

PNP says leader of police team in Mandaluyong incident goes AWOL

January 2, 2018



Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald dela Rosa said the leader of a police team involved in the shooting incident in Mandaluyong last week has gone absent without leave.

"One went AWOL (absent without leave) because that woman doesn't want to be jailed. If she is listening, surrender or else be the subject of manhunt operations when your warrant comes out," Dela Rosa said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Dela Rosa was referring to Senior Inspector Maria Cristina Vasquez, leader of a 10-man team that responded to call from Barangay Addition Hills watchmen they were pursuing a white van which figured in a shooting incident at a construction site Thursday night.

The police and barangay watchmen fired at the white van, which resulted in the death of Jonalyn Amba-on and Jomar Hayawun. The van was carrying Ambaon to a hospital after she was shot at the construction site.

Vasquez and her team. along with three barangay watchmen who fired at the van were charged by the police with homicide. Vasquez was not present during the inquest but she and nine other policemen are temporarily suspended.

Dela Rosa said the police followed the report of the barangay watchmen and this turned out to be wrong..

"I told the police they did not act with ill intent," said Dela Rosa. "They received wrong information."

Dela Rosa said the mere fact that the nine policemen were subjected to inquest and held at the Regional Police Holding and Accounting Unit indicated the PNP is serious in this doing their job. DMS