DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 1 March) – Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte called overkill the case of a policeman who shot 23 times a tricycle driver he mistook for a thief in Mintal last week.
Speaking at Sunday’s episode of Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa, Duterte said the policeman, PO2 Jozel S. Jorolan, 33, from the city’s Public Safety Battalion, was arrested Monday for shooting Mario Israel Magno, 49, a resident of Upper Ula in Barangay Mintal.
Magno suffered 19 gunshot wounds, with investigators finding 23 shells at the scene.
Duterte said he has long instructed officials of both the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines that he did not want to see law enforcers drinking, especially when armed.
“Better do that at your own homes. I dont want to see them in uniform and with empty bottles on their tables,” Duterte said. “Mag-away gyud ta.”
However, the mayor said it was more of an advice instead of an official policy.
“It’s insulting to see uniformed personnel drinking,” he stressed.
The mayor called the incident an overkill even if it could be proven that the tricycle driver was stealing the motorcycle.
Even the Supreme Court, Duterte said, placed a higher value on a person’s life than an object being stolen.
“You cannot kill a person if it is just a matter of stolen property,” he said.
Jorolan was reportedly drunk during the incident but passed a drug test conducted at the Davao City Police Office.
“If you are intoxicated, chances are you get violent. It is very easy to pull out your weapon and shoot somebody there, like what happened,” Duterte said.
Jorolan is facing administrative charges and is currently being held at the DCPO.
Residents in Mintal say the gunshots could be heard as far Golden Shower St., at least 500 meters from the crime scene.
“We thought the gunshots were just police at the training center having an exercise,” one resident said.
Mintal is home to the PNP’s Philippine Public Safety College.
