PNP to investigate killing of ex-military ‘quarantine violator’ in QC

'Mentally challenged' ECQ violator shot dead by Quezon City cop
‘Mentally challenged’ ECQ violator shot dead by Quezon City cop. (Image captured from video of Willie Rosario)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) ordered to investigate the shooting incident wherein a Quezon City (QC) police shot dead an ex-military soldier who allegedly violated the ECQ.

PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa ordered the Quezon City Police  District (QCPD) to probe the incident, said Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the joint task force COVID-19 shield in an interview with ANC’s “Matters of Fact.”

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“I’ve also seen that video, and we don’t have to pre-empt the investigation being conducted now. Our police chief PNP PGen. Archie Gamboa has given [the] directive to the  QCPD to conduct investigation,” Eleazar said.

“And both the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, as well as the Internal Affairs Service of the QCPD, are now initiating investigation,” Eleazar added.

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.

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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.”

Also read: “Quarantine violator” shot by guard in Bacolod

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PNP to investigate killing of ex-military ‘quarantine violator’ in QC

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.

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.

Eleazar said that Florendo’s action was an act of “self-defense” after he saw Ragos pulling out his gun.

“As you can see in the [standard operating procedure], we can always use necessary and residual force that would be sufficient to overcome the resistance coming from the offender in order to subdue the clear and imminent danger posed by him. In just analysis, or kung titignan natin ito (or if we look at this carefully), this is what we can say self-defense,” Eleazar said.

“Another revelation is that accordingly, the suspect suffered from [a] mental challenge from the Marawi experience. So hindi man alam ng policeman natin ito (So our policemen may not know this),” Eleazar explained.