News Roundup 29 August 2023
Aug 29, 2023 • 4 min Read
Murder rap filed vs Bantag, 6 others for death of inmate who exposed jail anomalies | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed another criminal complaint against former director of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Gerald Bantag and six others for the death of an inmate (person deprived of liberty or PDL) that maintained a social media account exposing anomalies within the penitentiary.
Aside from Bantag, facing a complaint for murder are deputy Ricardo S. Zulueta, General Victor Erick L. Pascua, and four persons deprived of liberty Rolando L. Villaver, Mark Angelo S. Lampera, Charlie S. Dacuyan, and Wendell P. Sualog.
The case was filed for the death of PDL Hegel Lapinig Samson. Samson died in 2020. An investigation by the NBI showed that he died of asphyxiation due to a plastic bag placed over his head.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the four PDLs came forward and gave their testimonies.
Full Story at: Murder rap filed vs Bantag, 6 others for death of inmate who exposed jail anomalies | Inquirer News
Navotas cop on why Jemboy Baltazar was shot: ‘It was like panic firing’ | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Panic firing.
This was the reason why police shot 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar in Navotas city on August 2, 2023.
This type of reason led to the death of the teenager.
During the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on Tuesday, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and Raffy Tulfo asked the police officers involved in the killing of Baltazar why they began firing shots at the unarmed victim.
The lawmakers wondered why the law enforcers made the assault when there was no order from the team leader for them to take down Jemboy.
The policemen attended the Senate investigation on the tragedy.
“Hindi po namin alam sa kung anong dahilan kung bakit nila nagawa ‘yun,” Team leader Police Captain Mark Joseph Carpio also wondered as he testified.
(We don’t know why they did that.)
“Wala naman pong command at hindi po namin hawak ang mga pag-iisip ng [mga pulis.],” he claimed.
(There was no command, and we were not in control of the thoughts going on in the minds of [the police.])
“Ang sabi nila ay nahawa na lang po sa pagpapaputok. Parang kung tawagin ay panic firing,” Carpio disclosed.
(They say that they just went along with the shooting. It was like panic firing.)
Police Staff Sergeant Gerry Maliban claimed moments before they opened fire, he heard gunshots near the area.
Maliban had been identified by Carpio as the first cop who shot Baltazar.
Full Story at: Navotas cop on why Jemboy Baltazar was shot: ‘It was like panic firing’ | Inquirer News
‘Buhay pa sana anak ko’: Cops barred Jemboy Baltazar’s father from retrieving his body | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Law enforcement officials barred the father of Jemboy Baltazar from retrieving the teenager’s body roughly an hour after he was shot, Baltazar’s mother said during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
Roda Baltazar, the mother of the slain 17-year-old, told a Senate panel that Jemboy’s father attempted to dive after his son after a neighbor alerted him about the fatal shooting but was prohibited by men in Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) uniform from doing so.
“Gusto ng asawa ko na sumisid pero pinagbawalan sya. Mga 2:30 (p.m.). Siguro isang oras pa lang anak ko sa tubig (My husband wanted to dive into the water but was prohibited. This was around 2:30 p.m. My son was in the water for roughly an hour),” the mother of Jemboy said.
“Tapos pinagbabawalan sila na sisirin kasi baka nakalangoy anak ko. Inaabangan nila sa may tulay, dun nila inaabangan anak ko na lumutang. Eh hindi na lumutang anak ko ilang oras na (They told him that he was not allowed to dive after him because my son might have swam away. They were waiting for him to surface at the bridge. But he never surfaced after how many hours),” she added.
Her son might have lived if his father was allowed to immediately dive and retrieve his body, Jemboy’s mother said.
Full Story at: ‘Buhay pa sana anak ko’: Cops barred Jemboy Baltazar’s father from retrieving his body | Philstar.com
Veteran news anchor Mike Enriquez passes away at 71 | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Veteran broadcast journalist Mike Enriquez has passed away, a month shy of his 72nd birthday.
Enriquez is best known for his long stint with GMA reporting on the news and public affairs programs “Saksi,” “24 Oras,” “Super Radyo DZBB” and “Imbestigador,” the latter he hosted himself.
Kapuso reporter Arnold Clavio posted on his Instagram account a blacked out image with a flickering candle. His colleagues at GMA Nelson Canlas, Oscar Oida, Shaira Diaz, Kathy San Gabriel and Connie Sison — who also posted black square on her own account — all commented crying or prayer emojis.
Full Story at: Veteran news anchor Mike Enriquez passes away at 71 | Philstar.com
