Myca's dad fired first, says witness

Alleged drug suspect Renato Ulpina, the father of the three-year-old girl who died in a buy-bust operation, was the one who fired first, according to a neighbor who witnessed the shootout in Rodriguez, Rizal.

In a report by Mariz Umali in GMA News TV's State of the Nation with Jessica Soho on Wednesday, the witness who requested anonymity said that a police officer was shot by the suspect.

Ulpina also sustained a gunshot wound while his daughter Kateleen Myca suffered from a gunshot wound to the head.

Despite this, the witness said Ulpina did not surrender to the police and even climbed up the roof of a house with his daughter.

"Nagmamakaawa po siya sa pulis na hayaan na po silang dalawa kasi nga po may tama na po ng bala 'yung anak niya pati siya may tama na rin," he said.

He added that the operatives, at this point, negotiated the suspect to hand over his wounded daughter.

"Ayaw pa niyang sumuko, 'yung anak iya naghihingalo na, 'yun binigay niya po 'yung anak niya sa pulis. 'Yung anak niya po 'yung una niyang binigay sa pulis para madala agad sa ospital then dun palang po siya nalaglag sa bubong kasi sa sobrang hindi na rin po niya kaya," he said.

The child was immediately brought to a hospital but did not survive the ordeal.

The police said Ulpina embraced the little girl and used her as a human shield during the shootout but the suspect's family claimed otherwise.

"Wala pong human shield na nangyari. Sinave kami ng anak ko. Kukunin ko siya talaga doon eh pero humabol siyang pilit sa Papa niya eh," Myca's mother said.

She also denied that a buy-bust operation was conducted.

Ulpina's wife claimed that they were sleeping when the police barged into their house and even smashed their window open.

The police, on the other hand, stood by their report and said that they had searched for Ulpina for a year.

"Si Renato kasi talagang lalaban sa pulis hindi siya pahuhuli ng buhay saka nasa listahan siya nung sa Raga Group na gun-for-hire, carnapping and illegal drugs," Rizal Police Provincial Director Police Colonel Lou Frias Evangelista said. — Dona Magsino/BAP, GMA News