Task Force COVID-19 Shield commander PLtGen. Guillermo Eleazar defended the actions of the cops who encountered Corporal Winston Ragos, 34 in Quezon City last Tuesday, saying that they’re only defending themselves from the retired soldier.
Ragos lost his life after one of the cops, Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo Jr decided to use his gun against him because the former allegedly tried to pull a weapon into the sling bag he wore.
Eleazar explained in an ABS-CBN interview with Christian Esguerra that the cops couldn’t risk their lives to try to use physical means to subdue Ragos because if the retired soldier was really carrying a weapon, he might harm not only Florendo but the other police who responded to the scene.
He also said that the cops only had few seconds to decide during the said encounter, and their lives might put in danger if they choose to make a wrong move.
“Do you think that you have to check first if indeed there was a firearm bago mo ka mag-react? Splits second. Its was a judgement call for the police. Eh kung pagbunot ‘non at at nakapagpaputok ‘yun, at natamaan ang pulis natin, disgrasyang katakot-takot iyon,” Eleazar said.
The General insisted that Florendo only wanted to control Ragos, unfortunately, the retired soldier didn’t survive the encounter.
“Makikita natin na pagbaril niya ang tama ay hindi sa ulo kundi sa katawan. And just seconds after that, anong narinig mo doon? Tumawag ng ambulansiya. The point is talagang i-subdue lang siya. Yung pag baril mo doon Christian, eh una nakita mo na ayaw talagang mag-react o sumunod sa sinasabi mo, and then after that pagharap ngayon talagang nagcha-challenge pa at bubunot pa ng baril,” Eleazar told the ABS-CBN reporter.
“Eh ikaw anong gagawin mo Christian? Iilag ka parang sine, na ta-tumbling tumbling ka muna? Bago mo i-approach, well it’s too easy to criticize the police pero kayo ang lumagay sa posisyon namin”. May pamilya rin tayo,” he added.
When the reporter asked Eleazar if it’s possible for the cops to control Ragos without using their guns, the General pointed out that the retired soldier was already uncooperative to the police for two minutes.
Eleazar also believes that the cops followed the standard operating procedure of PNP, saying that the cops tried to warn Ragos verbally, however, instead of following the police, the retired soldier even tried to show resistance to them.
Meanwhile, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) already filed a case against Florendo.
The Philippine Army also asked the National Bureau of Investigation to launch and investigation about the incident.