The Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has started conducting its own investigation into the death of a 17-year old boy who was reported to have been mistakenly identified by a group of policemen in Navotas City as one of robbery suspects during the conduct of follow-up operations on Aug. 2.

IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said he gave the investigation team until the first week of September this year to come up with the final report on the death of Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar that includes recommendations. 

Baltazar died at the hands of six Navotas policemen, with the police saying that the cops fired at him after he jumped into the water from his boat when he asked him to surrender during the conduct of follow-up operations against robbery suspects in the area.

It turned out later that Baltazar was not a robbery suspect as the cops mistook him as a certain Reynaldo Bolivar.

Triambulo said all the involved cops will be asked to submit their respective affidavits in connection with the investigation of the IAS.

 “Three days yon fact findings will start on August 10 and seven days pre-charge investigation. Then 20 days summary hearing,” said Triambulo.

He added that the final result of the investigation and the recommendations will be submitted to the office of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional Director for approval.

In a separate interview, NCRPO director Brigadier General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. assured that there will be no cover up in the investigation noting that the involved policemen have already admitted their mistake.

He said the six cops were already placed under restrictive custody.