ILOILO City – A security camera footage is their proof, according to Amalia and Danilo Bolante Sr., parents of the 29-year-old man shot dead in a police anti-drug operation in Barangay North Baluarte, Molo district on the night of June 29.
Amalia, a councilwoman in Barangay North Baluarte, said her son Karl Daniel did not have a gun and grenade that night contrary to the city police’s claim.
She cited as proof the barangay’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage. It showed Karl Daniel shirtless and was only wearing a pair boxer shorts. He was holding a mobile phone, not a gun.
Karl Daniel was not even the subject of the police operation but drug suspect John Dave Mendoza who ran away after realizing the buyer he was dealing with was a police officer.
Karl Daniel, who was near the area, may have panicked when he saw the police running. He also ran going to the area where Mendoza fled. Series of gun shots were then heard.
“Sa akon lang ‘ya nasalabat lang ang bata ko,” Amalia said. “Kamo nakita man ninyo ang CCTV footage nga pagliko niya amo man paghuganas.”
Karl Daniel died of a gunshot wound to the lower back of his right shoulder.
“We want justice for our son,” said Amalia and Danilo Sr.
Those who killed Karl Daniel, whom they insisted was innocent, should be held liable.
“Dapat bayaran sang nagtiro. Kon gin–ako lang nila nga nasalabat lang akon bata indi man kami mabudlay estoryahon. Mabaton namon bisan masakit…pero gin pato-patoan pa nila kag planted-dan,” Amalia told Panay News.
The police should have sought out their family to discuss things, she added.
“Kon gin-istorya nila kami kag akuon nga indi nila hungod, kami maka-intindi,” she stressed.
Amalia also said her son was not a drug pusher, but was previously jailed for sniffing rugby.
The Bolante family is waiting for the result of the investigation of the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Police Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, chief of Police Station 1, earlier claimed Karl Daniel was an accomplice of Mendoza, 23, of Barangay Rizal Pala-Pala here.
“Mendoza, our original target, fled after the buy-bust was consummated,” Sangrines told Panay News. “Sang naglinagsanay na, Bolante tried to obstruct our men while he was armed with a grenade, so sensing that their lives were in danger they have no choice but to shoot him,” she said.
The bullet that hit Karl Daniel was fired by Police Corporal Rodanre Lopez of Police Station 1 around 10:40 p.m.
Sangrines insisted on the legitimacy of the anti-drug operation.
“The original plan was to conduct the operation in Barangay Rizal Pala-Pala,” Sangrines said. “But Mendoza changed his mind and said sa North Baluarte na lang where Bolante was waiting.”
Mendoza also reportedly admitted to the police that Bolante was his friend.
However, Bolante’s family said they never saw Mendoza in the area together with Karl Daniel.
Aside from the hand grenade and firearm, police said they also recovered ammunition from Karl Daniel.
Mendoza was eventually captured and taken to Police Station 1.
Philippine National Police chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, on the other hand, urged witnesses to surface, assuring them their security./PN
