Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said in an interview that Station 4 head Senior Inspector Dante Cabungcal and two of his subordinates Police Officers 1 Aizel Dean Marie Lopez and Osmond Rivera have been relieved.
He said that as of yesterday, teenager Salman Pundato Macal remained in critical condition at a local hospital which he did not name for the security of the boy. The victim’s mother expressed fears her son would no longer be able to walk.
The three cops are now on floating status at the Angeles City police office.
“I am assuring the family of the victim and the public that all will be disclosed as soon as the investigations are finished. All will be transparent. There will be no whitewash,” Pamintuan said.
Police report indicated that the two cops were cruising their mobile patrol car in Balibago at about 6 p.m. when they intercepted Macal on his motorcycle.
A CCTV footage installed by the city government in the area showed the two cops alighting from their patrol car and then Macal running away.
The shooting itself was not caught by the camera which, however, also later showed the two cops helping each other carry Macal to their car apparently to rush the already wounded boy to a hospital.
Members of the victim’s family said Lopez, who had fired the gun that injured Macal, later apologized to them and explained the shooting was an accident.
Pamintuan said he instructed newly installed Angeles City police chief Senior Supt. Enrico Vargas to file a full report on the results of the investigation on the case as soon as possible.
