Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered the QC People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) to look into the complaint filed by a 22-year-old student who was allegedly shot by a drunken member of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and the alleged attempt to cover-up the incident.
“While I acknowledge that the QCPD is our partner in maintaining law and order, it must be clear that I have no tolerance for rotten policemen in Quezon City. I am ordering Atty. Calinisan of the PLEB to act on this matter with absolute dispatch,” Belmonte said.
“Our quick and resolute action is the only way we can alleviate the anguish of Mr. Castor and his family, and reassure the general public that Quezon City is a safe place to be in, where no police abuses are allowed,” she added.
Belmonte made the pronouncement after the incident was brought to her attention involving 22-year-old Adrianne Dominique Cruz Castor, who was shot by P/CPL Reymark Rigor on Feb. 8.
Atty. Rafael Calinisan, Executive Officer of the PLEB, said that “the PLEB commits to hear and decide this case the soonest, in less than 60 days. This case is summary in nature, and we assure the public that justice will be served.”
According to Castor, he was on his way home aboard a Grab vehicle traversing Scout Rallos Extension when he noticed a motorcycle rider driving in a “drunkenly manner.”
The victim and the Grab driver saw the motorcycle rider fall down from his vehicle, and they noticed that he picked something up from the pavement, which turned out to be a gun that the policeman aimed at their direction.
As the motorcycle rider drove away, it hit a post near 11th Jamboree.
After the Grab driver backed up the car, Castor alighted from the vehicle and asked the drivers of other cars to back up as well, informing them that a motorcycle rider pointed a gun at them.
It was during this time when the motorcycle rider shot Castor, who was then brought to a nearby hospital. The incident was captured by CCTV and the Grab driver’s dashcam.
Investigation after the incident revealed that Rigor was the motorcycle rider and he was intoxicated during that time as he attended the birthday celebration of his superior in that area.
Castor also lodged a complaint against PSSg Bryan Busto and PCpl Jaycee Tordil, accusing them of downplaying his injury as “daplis” before he underwent operation. The two policemen also left the hospital without gathering information from the doctors.
The victim later found out that Busto and Tordil merely categorized this incident as “physical injuries” instead of the more serious crime of “frustrated murder.”
Under the rules, Calinisan pointed out that the PLEB can issue a preventive suspension order against the policemen involved due to the gravity of the charges hurled against them.
Aside from the IAS and NAPOLCOM, Calinisan reminded the public that ordinary citizens may opt to file cases against erring policemen with the PLEB.
The Quezon City Police District for its part said that PCpl Rigor was immediately placed under arrest, his service firearm confiscated and subjected to custodial investigation.
His drug test yielded a negative result.
A ballistic examination report made by the Forensic Unit revealed that the recovered slug from the victim matched that of the issued firearm of PCpl Rigor.
On February 11, frustrated murder and violation of the Omnibus Election Code charges were filed against Rigor, who posted a P200,000 bail.
The QCPD-DIAS also filed an administrative case of grave misconduct against him.
The QCPD leadership also visited the family of the victim to update them on the case and provided financial assistance.
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