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THUMBNAIL-LAW

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<div><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)" id="isPasted"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA – Efren Morillo, who pretended to be dead during a “tokhang” operation in 2016, has filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court for the reopening of his case against three Quezon City policemen.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In his petition dated July 8, 2024, Morillo asked the Supreme Court to direct the Office of the Ombudsman to file the necessary information against police respondents P/SInsp. Emil Garcia, PO3 Allan Formilleza, PO1 James Aggarao, Jr. and PO1 Melchor Navisaga for grave misconduct. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Morillo filed the petition before the high court after the Ombudsman dismissed the complaints against the policemen for lack of probable cause in the criminal charges and lack of substantial evidence in the administrative charges for grave misconduct. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Joining Morillo in his petition are Marilyn Malimban, Maria Belen Daa and Lydia Gabo, relatives of the victims of the drug operation.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">They said the Office of the Ombudsman committed grave abuse of discretion in dismissing the charges against the policemen. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“The Office of the Ombudsman arbitrary issuance of its joint resolution and joint order without valid reasons, as well as its biased consideration of the evidence, are clear indicators of the capricious and whimsical judgment, amounting to a neglect of its duty to the public,” the petitioners said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The petitioners narrated in their petition that on Aug. 21, 2016, Morillo went to the house of Marcelo Daa, Jr. in Barangay Payatas to collect the money he owed to Morillo. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Two hours later, a group of men in civilian clothes entered the house and commotion ensued. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Morillo and four others in the house including Marcelo were handcuffed after they were apparently made to admit they owned a piece of silver foil and a toy gun.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Morillo was shot but he closed his eyes, remained still and pretended to be dead.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/20/23/centerlaw-condemns-dismissal-of-charges-vs-cops-in-payatas-operation">CenterLaw condemns dismissal of charges vs cops in 2016 Payatas operation</a><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The petitioners also stated in the petition that all the elements of frustrated murder were evident as Efren was shot by a gun and suffered a life-threatening wound. </span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“It is clear that an operation that ended in the death of four victims and in the near fatal injury of Efren Morillo cannot be considered as regular practice and is therefore not protected under the cloak of lawful performance of duty, or in the lawful exercise of a right or office and during a legitimate police operation,” the petitioners said. </span></div>

<p>Efren Morillo, who pretended to be dead during a “tokhang” operation in 2016, has filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court for the reopening of his case against three Quezon City policemen.</p>

Efren Morillo, who pretended to be dead during a “tokhang” operation in 2016, has filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court for the reopening of his case against three Quezon City policemen.

Tokhang survivor who played dead seeks to reopen case against cops

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Tokhang survivor who played dead seeks to reopen case against cops

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 09, 2024 03:59 PM PHT

Read More:

Tokhang

war on drugs

drug war

Efren Morillo

police

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