PHILIPPINE National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa admitted Monday the shooting incident, where policemen were involved Thursday night, which left two individuals dead in Mandaluyong City was a “mistake” on the part of the police.
Dela Rosa, whose term as PNP chief had been extended by President Rodrigo Duterte, told Balitanghaili in an interview: “We admit there was a failure on the rules of engagement. Whoever is responsible for such failure should be criminally and administratively charged.”
Two persons, including Jonalyn Ambaon, victim of a prior shooting incident and was being rushed by volunteers to the nearest hospital for treatment, were killed when responding police opened fire at the vehicle they were told was a getaway car of a gunman in the previous shooting incident.
Police sources later disclosed the vehicle was carrying Ambaon to the hospital after she was shot by an LPG delivery man after trying to intervene in an argument.
But the responding police officers were told by tanods the vehicle was carrying an armed suspect, causing them to open fire.
Dela Rosa said the incident was not a case of “mistaken identity” but of a “false report.”
Dela Rosa defended the police, saying during an ongoing shooting incident, they could not determine anymore where the shots were coming from.
Ten policemen and two of the four barangay tanods involved in the shooting incident had been ordered detained after the filing of homicide and frustrated homicide complaints against them.