ILOILO City – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) plans to investigate the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man during an anti-drug operation of the police in Barangay North Baluarte, Molo district on Tuesday around 10:30 p.m.
But it is waiting for the family of Karl Daniel Bolante to file a formal complaint against the personnel of Police Station 1 and the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), according to officer-in-charge Atty. Jonnie Dabuco.
“We will give the police the chance to explain,” Dabuco told Panay News. “We want our investigation balanced.”
Cops claimed Bolante obstructed their operation and that the latter had a grenade and a .38 revolver. Bolante’s family, however, denied this.
A closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed Bolante shirtless, only wearing a pair boxer shorts and holding a mobile phone, so how could he be concealing a gun and a grenade, the family pointed out.
‘NO MISTAKEN IDENTITY’
The incident was not a case of mistaken identity, insisted Police Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, chief of Police Station 1.
Sangrines claimed that Bolante was an accomplice of the police’s original target, drug suspect John Dave Mendoza, 23, of Barangay Rizal Pala-Pala here.
“Mendoza, our original target, fled after the buy-bust was consummated,” Sangrines told Panay News. “Sang naglinagsanay na, Bolante tried to obstruct our men while he was armed with a grenade, so sensing that their life was in danger they have no choice but to shoot him,” she said.
Sangrines also insisted on the legitimacy of the anti-drug operation.
“The original plan was to conduct the operation in Barangay Rizal Pala-Pala,” Sangrines said. “But Mendoza changed his mind and said sa North Baluarte na lang where Bolante was waiting.”
Aside from the hand grenade and firearm, police said they also recovered ammunition from Bolante.
Mendoza was eventually captured and taken to Police Station 1.
He would be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
He also reportedly admitted to the police that Bolante was his friend.
North Baluarte’s village chief, Marites Morga, said Bolante just happened to be in the area where the buy-bust was ongoing.
But she confirmed that Bolante was previously arrested for sniffing rugby./PN
