Amid the ongoing investigation on the killing of 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar, a Senate panel on Tuesday, August 29 cited in contempt the former head of Navotas City Police's Station Investigation and Detective Management Section (SIDMS), after lengthy questioning about skipping the paraffin test on the six suspects in the teen's death.

The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, chaired by Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, cited in contempt Police Capt. Juanito Arabejo who was questioned several times regarding the lack of a paraffin test conducted on the six suspects in the killing of Baltazar.

This was after the panel found out from Police Capt. Sonny Boy Tepace of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) that a paraffin test was conducted on Baltazar but not with the six suspects involved in his death.

A paraffin test is a procedure done on an individual to find out through chemical analysis the presence of gunpowder and determine if someone recently fired a gun.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo asked Tepace why this was the case, to which Tepace replied that this was a standard protocol with shooting incidents and that the jurisdiction regarding the examination of the six suspects falls on Arabejo.

However, the former Navotas City Police Chief Police Col. Allan Umipig disclosed that he instructed Arabejo to conduct a paraffin test on the six suspects.

According to SIDMS chief clerk Chief Master Sgt. Aurelito Galvez who was the case investigator, he suggested this to Arabejo just before 12 midnight but Arabejo argued that it would no longer be valid because the gunpowder might have been washed off given the time that had passed. Yet Tapece said that a paraffin test remains valid within 72 hours.

Arabejo also said that no such order was given to him by Umipig.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that a paraffin test together with a ballistics examination could have made a stronger and "airtight" case against the suspects.

"'Di ba gusto natin mas malakas kaysa mas mahina ang kaso natin? (Don't we want a stronger case rather than a weaker one?)" Hontiveros asked.

Dela Rosa also stated that while testimonial evidence may be recanted, scientific evidence such as from a paraffin test builds a stronger case.

Hontiveros also asked how can the police ascertain if the suspects indeed fired their firearms if they were not subjected to a paraffin examination.

Arabejo stated that this decision was based on their "sound judgment" and was done in "good faith" considering that the direct testimony of the eyewitnesses was sufficient to establish the guilt of the suspects.

Umipig said that there were two cops from Navotas City Police who could prove his claim that he instructed Arabejo. These were Chief Operations Officer Police Captain Anthony Mondejar and Assistance Chief of Police for Operations (ACOPO) Police Maj. Edwin Fuertes.

Later during the hearing, both cops appeared and said that Arabejo was indeed present during the conference and such an instruction to subject the suspects to a paraffin test was given verbally.

But Arabejo said that this was not true and defended by reading a conversation through text with Umipig on Aug. 10. However, Dela Rosa was irked by this and no longer listened to his argument since the instruction during the case conference was said to be given to him on Aug. 3.

"On behalf kay (of) Senator Raffy Tulfo and with the guidance of the Chair, with warning kay (to) Mr. Galvez, nag-eextend lang ng pasensya ng komite, para sa mga susunod na hearing na dapat mas forthcoming pa (the Comittee is just extending its patience for the next hearing that should be more forthcoming) , I move para (to) i-cite in contempt si Police Capt. Arabejo," Hontiveros said.

She mentioned that as someone who has a personal history with law enforcers like Tulfo, holding a police officer in contempt is something they take very seriously.

Meanwhile, Northern Police District (NPD) District Director. Police Brig. Gen. Rizalito Gapas said that based on the explanation signed by both Arabejo and Galvez, they both decided not to subject the suspects to the said test and that it was a "clear, conscious, deliberate" decision on their part.

He also stated that subjecting the suspects to a paraffin test should have been part of the standard protocol.

Last August 22, Dela Rosa's panel also cited in contempt police officers Mark Joseph Carpio and P/Staff Sgt. Gerry Maliban in contempt for giving confusing answers when asked about Baltazar's death.

According to the police, they thought that the victim was the fleeing murder suspect they were looking for.