Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the police killing of a mother and her son in the town of Paniqui, Tarlac province in broad daylight.
In a statement issued on Monday, Dec. 21, Treñas said: “I join the collective outrage of the nation and all peace loving Filipinos in this incident. Let justice take its course!”
The mayor urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) “to put in place stringent measures to ensure the safety of our civilian population.”
“It is time that we ensure the rule of law be respected and applied equally to all especially in this heinous crime of double murder of two unarmed civilians,” he said.
On Sunday, Dec. 20, Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca shot dead 52-year-old Sonya Gregorio and her 25-year-old son Frank Anthony Gregorio after a heated argument over the victims’ use of “buga”, an improvised cannon traditionally made from bamboo.
A video posted on Facebook showed Nuezca pull out a pistol and shoot the Sonya in the head and then Frank Anthony as they clutched each other, before giving them a second bullet each.
The suspect, assigned at the City Crime Laboratory of Parañaque City, surrendered to authorities Sunday night.
‘PURE EVIL’
The shooting incident was described by Ilonggo Senator Franklin as “pure evil.”
“This is pure evil. That devil who committed an evil act in front of his own daughter deserves to rot in jail. I have no words to describe his unspeakable act. He should spend Christmas and a lifetime in jail,” he said.
“So long as the culture of impunity exists in the country, and when there is a system that rewards misdeeds instead of punishing them, police abuses and violence will continue. Impunity breeds trigger-happy cops,” Drilon added.IMT
