Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has condemned the killing of a man by a policeman outside a bar in Barangay Nova Proper, in the city on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
“Mariin nating kinokondena ang insidenteng kinasangkutan ng isang pulis sa Brgy. Nova Proper, Novaliches (We strongly condemn the incident involving a policeman in Brgy. Nova Proper, Novaliches),” the mayor said in a statement.
“Nakikiramay tayo sa pamilya ng biktima, at titingnan ng lokal na pamahalaan ang tulong na maaaring maipagkaloob sa kanyang pamilya, lalo na sa pagkamit ng hustisya (We condole with the victim's family. The local government will provide assistance to his family, especially in achieving justice),” she added.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said the shooting incident occurred outside a bar at around 4:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
The suspect was identified as Patrolman Edwin Rivera Simbling, 26, of Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, who was assigned to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion - National Capital Region Police Office.
According to the police, Simbling, together with two cohorts, and the victim, Chrismel Serioso, engaged in a heated argument which led to a scuffle inside the bar.
Police said that Simbling and his cohorts were about to leave the area when he suddenly grabbed the victim’s collar and pushed him into the glass door.
The incident was witnessed by the bar’s service crew who tried to approach and pacify the suspect and the victim.
The victim tried to leave the area but he fell to the ground after he was shot by Simbling with a handgun.
Serioso again attempted to flee and ride a passenger jeepney to escape but he was cornered and beaten by the suspect and his cohorts. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead-on-arrival.
QCPD Novaliches Station (PS 4) operatives who were conducting a buy-bust operation in the area saw the commotion which led to the arrest of the suspect and the confiscation of his issued firearm. However, his cohorts managed to escape.
Simbling was charged with murder and illegal possession of firearms in relation to the Omnibus Election Code, police said.
A manhunt operation was launched by the police to arrest the suspect’s cohorts.
“Umaasa tayo na hindi sasantuhin ng QCPD at PNP si Patrolman Edwin Rivera Simbling, na ngayo’y nasa kustodiya na ng Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) at nahaharap sa kasong murder at illegal possession of firearms (The QCPD and the PNP will not condone the acts of Patrolman Edwin Rivera, who is now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) and is facing charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms),” Belmonte said.
Belmonte also ordered the QC People’s Law Enforcement Board to conduct a separate investigation on the incident.
“Walang puwang sa Philippine National Police (PNP) ang mga kagaya niya (There is no place in the Philippine National Police for people like him) ,” the mayor said.
“Hindi natin papayagan na manaig ang karahasan sa Quezon City (We will not allow violence to prevail in Quezon City),” she added.
QCPD Director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan also expressed symphaties to the family of the slain victim.
Read more: https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/5/raps-filed-vs-cop-who-shot-man-dead-outside-qc-bar