“The person who pulled the trigger is not the only one at fault. The one who ordered the killing is equally guilty.” — Maria Kristina C. Conti, secretary general of the NUPL-NCR
By ALYSSA MAE CLARIN
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – The mother of a 17-year-old victim of a drug-related killing led the filing of charges today, Feb. 7, before the Office of the Ombudsman against suspected police officers implicated in the killing.
“My son is no criminal. They should not have killed a young man, who was full of dreams for his family,” said Christine Pascual, mother of 17-year-old Joshua Laxamana.
Laxamana was found dead on Aug. 21, 2018, his body riddled with bullets, in Rosales, Pangasinan.
Murder charges were filed against Rosales Municipal Police chief Police Inspector John L. Corpuz and five other police officers: SPO3 Oliver A. Vingua, SPO1 Hilario T. Taquiqui Jr., PO2 Arvin G. Abella, PO2 Roy A. Sarmiento, and PO2 Ronald L. Casanero.
Dr. Adrian Arlie D. Guieb, who declared Joshua as dead on site, and eight other police officers were also among those charged for obstruction of justice.
In their petition, they also decried how the police crime laboratory office played a role in planting evidence against Joshua. Among those that they named are Police Inspectors Lady Ellen V. Maranion and Emeterio M. Macaraeg.
“The person who pulled the trigger is not the only one at fault. The one who ordered the killing is equally guilty,” said Maria Kristina C. Conti, secretary general of the NUPL-NCR.
Forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun conducted a re-autopsy of Laxamana’s body, as requested by the family. Result of the re-autopsy revealed that he did not fight back or “nanlaban” as claimed by the police. The injuries he sustained, the report said, were possibly “defense-type injuries.”
Laxamana said, “I thank all the people who supported my son, and hope that you will continue to fight with us from the filing, and until the end of the case.”
Meanwhile, Rubilyn Litao, coordinator of Rise Up For Life and For Rights, a group of victims and families of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, called on fellow advocates to remain vigilant in their efforts to seek justice, “Justice delayed and denied brings unimaginable agony for these families and will be a disservice to its duty to the people longing to live in peace and with dignity.”
Human rights and media groups estimate that at least 20,000 have been killed under Duterte’s war against drugs. (Bulatlat.com)
