Policemen and paramedics carry an empty stretcher from Lighthouse Restaurant during a reenactment of the Oct. 21 shooting. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
SOON after gunshots were heard in the Lighthouse Restaurant last week, four police teams and a paramedics team arrived.
It was too late to save the lives of two Chinese diplomats who died later in the hospital.
In the commotion, some evidence in the crime scene – a gun – was inadvertently moved before it could be photographed in its place.
And the shooting suspects, a female consul and her husband, were able to drive off in their car with a policeman as their escort.
Could the response by law enforcement teams have been better?
A reenactment was staged yesterday in the same restaurant to help the police review their processes and suggest improvements.
In the playback, Cebu City Investigation Branch (CIB) policemen led by their chief, Supt. Romeo Santander were the first to rush to the restaurant. A Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team secured the area.
Moments later, a man and a woman wearing name plates identifying them as the Chinese suspects in the Oct. 21 shooting, walked outside escorted by Santander, who turned them over to a policeman.
The real policeman, PO1 Carl Anthony Lee, is under investigation for his conduct. (See separate story.)
Paramedics arrived, entered, then left carrying an empty stretcher that days earlier carried gunshot victims to a waiting ambulance.
In the actual shooting, Chinese consul and finance officer Hui Li and deputy consul San Shun were killed, and Chinese Consul General Song Ronghua was wounded.
“We want to establish what really happened based on what was narrated to us by witnesses and responding police units and also to look at the area. We saw some details which we failed to establish during the investigation,” said Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawasm chief of staff of the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO-7).
Regional Police Chief Prudencio Bañas ordered the reenactment to establish facts for their investigation, and to improve the coordination of police and emergency units as they respond to a crime incident.
This includes the preservation of evidence and witnesses, safety of victims and immediate transport of the wounded to hospitals.
“There is a need for us to integrate all operational procedures by the different police units and other non government organizations like the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation,” said Lawas.
He said he will recommend a simulation exercise among the police to improve how they respond to crimes in the future.
“We don’t want to pinpoint liability. The important thing is to see what aspect which could have been done better,” said Lawas.
Senior Supt. Marciano Batiancela and Supt. Marlon Tayaba, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 were present for the rerun.
Lawas said the results will be part of their investigation report. He said the Department of Foreign Affairs had not yet asked for their report.
Two volunteers stand in as the suspected shooter and his wife, a Chinese consul, who were led outside by Supt. Romeo Santander of the Cebu City Intelligence Branch (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The two Chinese suspects, Li QingLiang and Consul Guo Jing, in the shooting incident were already transferred to the custody of the Chinese and were flown to China last Friday night in a 9:45 flight.
NO EXEMPTION
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said there would be “consequences” for those turned over the the Chinese couple to the Chinese government.
“Right now I don’t wanto to make comments until I will have meet the people I’ve talked with.
“There are people who are aware of their responsibilities and they will be facing consequences if and when, they made mistakes or if they are correct, lets just see in the days to come,” he said.
He also advised that the case should be handled with circumspection.
“It’s not just about the trial that they need to face here, but matters about protocol when a crime was committed. There’s no exception. You mean to say that any consul can do something and after that run to their office and not be within the reach of our authorities?” he asked.
“And if the authorities l come in, will they be in trouble because this is still to be resolved matter. Immunity from suit – these are matters that have to be determined at the proper level. I wish that particular issue will be clearly defined, especially, since we have other consular offices here in Cebu,” Rama said.