(Eagle News)–The Philippine National Police on Thursday, April 23, defended a Quezon City policeman’s shooting of an armed retired soldier believed to have mental issues during a confrontation.
In a statement, PNP spokesperson Bernard Banac said Police Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo was only defending himself when he shot Winston Ragos who had tried to draw his pistol.
“P/MSgt Florendo was the only person in the best position to make that judgment call, better than any observer, viewer and opinionated analyst with 20/20 hindsight. Had he erred in his judgement, he could possibly be the cadaver in the body bag instead. If that happened then he would have failed in performing his duty to enforce the law,” Banac said.
He said if the video clips of the incident on Tuesday were “to be the sole basis of investigation it is apparent that the rules of engagement prescribed in the Revised Police Operational Procedures were observed during the confrontation, more importantly when the gunman repeatedly defied the verbal command given by the police to yield and cease making provocative and threatening moves, as well as the use of firearms and application of deadly force.”
Nonetheless, he said an investigation was underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident at the checkpoint in Barangay Pasong Putik, Quezon City.
Because firearms were involved in this case, Banac said all guns, ammunition, accessories, fired cartridge cases and recovered bullets will be subject to a ballistics examination as a standard procedure.
He said this includes the handgun and ammunition recovered from the slain suspect “for possible comparison with ballistics information of gun-related crime in our database.”
“By all means, we urge the public to please refrain from mishandling video evidence of this homicide case, which is tantamount to obstruction of justice; and to allow the process of investigation to proceed sans any external influence of opinionated hysteria, subjective bias and anti-police sentiment,” he added.
According to the police, an armed Ragos arrived at the checkpoint and shouted at Florendo and several trainees of the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group.
Ragos was advised to go home but he repeatedly refused.
