The companion of mistaken identity victim Jemboy Baltazar on Wednesday told a Senate hearing that he was forced to state in his affidavit that Baltazar had gun and illegal drugs during the police operation that led to his death.
Sonny Boy Augustillo, who was with the 17-year-old Baltazar when Baltazar was shot by Navotas City policemen who mistook him for a suspect, disclosed this upon the questioning of Senator Risa Hontiveros during the continuation of the Senate hearing.
It was the first time Augustillo testified before the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee. He attended the hearing virtually.
“Nabanggit mo rin na may pulis na nagsabing ipasok sa ‘yung salaysay na may dalang baril at droga si Jemboy. Tama ba ‘yun, Sonny Boy?” Hontiveros asked.
(You mentioned that a policeman told you to put in your affidavit that Jemboy had a gun and illegal drugs. Is that correct, Sonny Boy?)
“Opo, ma’am. Para po daw po sa kapulisan na mawawala raw sa serbisyo. ‘Yun po ang sabi sa ‘kin ni Captain Carpio,” Augustillo said, referring to Police Captain Mark Joseph Carpio, the team leader of the operations.
(Yes, ma’am. I was told that’s for the policemen who may lose their jobs. That’s what Captain Carpio told me.)
Asked to confirm Augustillo’s statement, Carpio said: “Hindi po, your honor. Wala po akong sinabing ganon.”
(That’s not true, your honor. I did not say such thing.)
Augustillo further claimed that he was punched in the body thrice when he was brought to the police station after Baltazar’s shooting.
“Totoo ba na sinaktan ka ng pulis habang kinukuhanan ka ng statement, habang dinala ka nila sa station?” Hontiveros asked.
(Is it true that you were hurt by policemen while they were trying to get your statement, while they were bringing you to their station?)
“Pinagsusuntok po nila ako sa tagiliran ko po,” Augustillo said. “Tatlong beses lang po pero malalakas po yung suntok na ‘yun.”
(They punched me on the side of my body. Only three times but they were hard punches.)
According to Augustillo, the individual who punched him was wearing civilian clothes and a member of SAID, which Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the committee chairman, said refers to the Special Anti-Illegal Drugs unit.
Augustillo was asked by the senators to check if the person who punched him was among the policemen present at the hearing.
Caprio identified six policemen who were wearing civilian clothes at that time but Augustillo said the person who hurt him was not among them. He said the man who punched him was small and had a moustache, and was known by Carpio.
Carpio, however, said no policemen nor police assets match the description given by Augustillo. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
