Navotas police chief relieved from post over Jemboy Baltazar's death

Navotas City Police chief Police Colonel Allan Umipig was relieved from his post on Wednesday in connection with the killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar by cops due to mistaken identity.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Brigadier General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. confirmed to GMA News Online that he already relieved Umipig from his post as a result of the incident.

Aside from Umipig, Nartatez said 22 other police personnel were also relieved from their posts.

On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service (IAS) recommended complaints against Umipig over alleged dishonesty and command responsibility.

IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said he sent a directive to NCRPO "to have the Navotas Chief of Police relieved."

Umipig is alleged to have ordered the removal of the names of 11 police officers in the report on the killing of Baltazar, Triambulo had said.

The 11 policemen, meanwhile, will also face complaints for allegedly leaving the teenage victim at the scene and for other violations of police operations procedure, he added.

Baltazar was on a small boat on his way to go fishing on August 2  when he was shot and killed by Navotas City policemen pursuing a shooting suspect in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran.

A friend who was with Baltazar said they were preparing their boat when a policeman ordered them to get off. They reportedly tried to give themselves up but the policemen allegedly kept on shooting, prompting Baltazar to dive into the water.

The police later claimed it had been a case of mistaken identity. Some of the six policemen who were initially reported involved in the incident said in their affidavits that they fired shots only at the water and that they did not intend to hit Baltazar.

The six were identified as Police Executive Master Sergeant Roberto Balais, Police Staff Sergeant Gerry Maliban, Police Staff Sergeant Antonio Bugayong, Police Staff Sergeant Nikko Esquilon, Police Corporal Eduard Blanco, and Patrolman Benedict Mangada.

The involved policemen have undergone inquest proceedings over complaints of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. They, however, did not attend the preliminary investigation of the case held on Tuesday.

Instead of personally appearing before the prosecutor’s office, the six had their legal representative appear for them.

The said policemen are also facing administrative charges for grave misconduct and serious irregularity in the performance of duty. All have also been relieved from their posts.

Pending dismissal order

One of the six policemen — Maliban — has a pending dismissal order, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Wednesday.

Abalos, who is also the chairperson of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), said vice chairperson Alberto Bernardo is working on the matter as he assured that the dismissal process would continue.

“Siguro it was during the pandemic period. Rest assured dire-diretso po iyan and justice will really be served here,” Abalos told GMA News Online in an interview.

(Maybe it was issued during the pandemic period. Rest assured that the dismissal process will continue and justice will really be served here.)

Bernardo said the dismissal order against Maliban was dated February 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and was received in November 2020.

Baltazar will be laid to rest at the La Loma Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, August 16.

According to his mother, Rodaliza Baltazar, she would reject any offer in exchange for dropping the complaint against the policemen involved in her son's killing.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun on Saturday said autopsy results revealed that Baltazar also had a gunshot wound on his right hand, indicating that he tried to defend himself.

The autopsy found that Baltazar was hit twice, on the head with an entry wound behind the ear and an exit wound on the nose, while the other shot hit him on the right hand.

According to his death certificate, Baltazar’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, as well as asphyxia from drowning. —KBK, GMA Integrated News