The controversial chief of Bato Municipal Police Station in Catanduanes province was removed from his post after his social media post supporting the suspect of the Paniqui, Tarlac shooting incident went viral.
Philippine National Police spokesman Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana on Tuesday confirmed the relief of Police Captain Ariel Buraga upon the request of Bato Mayor Juan Rodulfo.
Police Lieutenant Fidel Romero Jr. will take over the position as replacement of Buraga.
“Paimbestigahan pa rin po ‘yung chief of police kahit na po nirelieve na siya. Procedures pa rin po natin,” he said.
Usana added that the police force has an existing policy regarding social media posts.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a Twitter post Tuesday that if he would “run over” the police officer who said the Tarlac shooting “will teach people, even if they have white hair, to respect police”. However, he did not name Buraga.
Is it true an hijo de puta police officer said that this incident will teach people, even if they have white hair, to respect police? Putangina mo. I see you in the street I will run over you, you piece of native shit and incontrovertible proof that Independence was premature.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) December 22, 2020
Buraga earned the ire of netizens after he commented on the Paniqui shooting incident where Parañaque cop Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca shot point blank his neighbors Sonya Rufino Gregorio, 52, and her son, Frank Anthony, 25, Sunday afternoon after a verbal tussle.
Buraga reacted on the incident and posted on his Facebook account: “Lesson learn (sic) kahit puti na ang buhok o ubanin na tayo eh matuto tayo rumespeto sa ating mga kapulisan. Mahirap kalaban ang pagtitimpi at pagpapasensya.”
“RIP Nanay and Totoy.”
A netizen asked Buraga if Sonya was at fault that she and her son were shot by Nuezca, Baraga replied in the affirmative.
The post was already deleted.
The cold-blooded murded was caught on video by a relative of the Gregorios.
Nuezca had barged into the property of the Gregorios, who are his neighbors, with his 12-year old daughter, and tried to arrest Frank for having fired a “boga” or an improvised cannon.
Nuezca and his daughter were intimidating and threatening the Gregorios, forcing Sonya and the rest of the family to try to fend them off. Other family members of the Gregorios were screaming for help from their other neighbors since Nuezca was brandishing his service firearm.
Sonya was hugging Frank to prevent Nuezca from arresting her son leading to Frank’s shirt getting ripped.
Nuezca’s daughter shouted at Sonya that her “father is a policeman.” She shouted back, “I don’t care.” Nuezca suddenly shot Sonya and Frank in their heads point blank, killing them on the spot. He shot each of them again after they fell to the ground. His daughter can be seen nonchalantly watching the brutal murder unfold before her.
Witnesses said both father and daughter casually walked away from the scene as nothing happened and went back home.
Later on, Nuezca surrendered to his fellow cops after committing the crime. RJ Espartinez