Police Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), has ordered the relief of the chief of police of Navotas City in connection with the alleged attempt to spare 11 of his men in connection with the death of a 17-year old son of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) on Aug. 2.
The relief of Police Col. Allan Umipig was recommended by the Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police (PNP-IAS) who discovered that he ordered the team leader of the operating team that conducted a follow-up operation in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran to remove the names of 11 cops as among those who joined the operation.
Only six cops were identified as the ones who shot dead Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar.
The six policemen are now under restrictive custody and facing criminal and administrative charges over the incident which stemmed when they allegedly mistook Baltazar as a robbery suspect.
Nartatez said the IAS recommendation already reached his office and it is the same as the recommendation of the district director of the Northern Police District (NPD), Police Brig. Gen. Rizalito Gapas.
“Perusal of these records I concurred with their conclusion as well as approved their recommendation and one of the recommendations is the relief of the Chief of Police (Umipig),” said Nartatez.
IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo earlier said that they also directed the filing of charges against Umipig for dishonesty and administrative cases in relation to command responsibility.
“The IAS will also file charges against the 11 police officers whose identities were initially concealed. They will be charged for abandoning the victim and other possible violations of police operational procedures,” said Triambulo.
Nartatez explained that there was a failure on the part of Umipig to effectively supervise his men during the conduct of both the operation and the ensuing investigation.
“The other policemen involved in the operation on August 2, there were lapses there,” said Nartatez.
Nartatez earlier vowed to get to the bottom of the incident that led to the death of Baltazar.
He said Gapas will name a temporary replacement of Umipig as chief of police of Navotas City while the deliberation as to who would take over the post is ongoing.