A Quezon City police officer shot dead a “mentally challenged” ECQ violator on Tuesday. The victim was formerly enlisted with the Army.
According to reports, Police Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo Jr gunned down a certain Winston Ragos on Tuesday near a quarantine control point along Maligaya Drive in Barangay Pasong Putik, Quezon City at around 2:30 pm.
Authorities said Ragos “approached… and started shouting and uttering intimidating words” against the Florendo and the police trainees on-duty at the checkpoint. They then instructed Ragos to go home.
Ragos allegedly “ignored” the police and introduced himself as a former soldier. Authorities said the victim carried a loaded caliber 38 revolver inside his sling bag, and Florendo “cautiously approached Ragos.”
The shooting incident was caught on video and circulated on social media. The footage showed Florendo approaching Ragos, telling him to surrender. Ragos raised his hands and turned his back as the cop told him to be on the ground.
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‘Mentally challenged’ ECQ violator shot dead by Quezon City cop
Ragos, however double-backed, face Florendo and said, “Bakit anong problema ko sayo” [What’s your problem with me]. It can be heard in the video that someone answered, “Mamaya malalaman mo and problema mo” [Later you’ll find out what’s your problem.]
The victim then tried reaching something in his sling bag. It turned out, Ragos was about to pull out a pistol in the bag, police said.
Florendo then shot Ragos twice. The victim managed to stand up for a few seconds before falling to the ground.
The police brought Ragos to the Commonwealth Hospital, but he was declared dead at 5:57 pm.
Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bilaro, Florendo’s commander, told Rappler the victim was “mentally challenged,” but they “belatedly found out.”
Authorities also confirmed that Ragos was a former soldier but was discharged through “compulsory retirement” due to “war shock,” Bilaro said.
“We can say that what he (Florendo) did was a ‘judgment call.’ Still, we will investigate the incident,” QCPD chief Brigadier General Ronnie Montejo said in the statement.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said on Wednesday, April 22, Florendo will face probe and criminal charges.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier gave a controversial warning to shoot unruly quarantine violators dead.
The PNP, however, clarified that they would not follow Duterte’s order and explained that the President is just “overemphasized on implementing the law in this time of crisis.”
Duterte again warned that he might be forced to enforce Martial Law-like measures if the number of quarantine violators would continue to increase.