The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) shall be conducting a motu propio investigation into the shooting of Lilibeth Valdez, who was shot by an allegedly drunk police officer in Barangay Greater Fairview, Quezon City on Monday night, 31 May 2021.

In a video circulating online, the police officer can be seen pulling the victim’s hair, eventually shooting her through the neck.

This incident is gravely concerning as we expect our police to “serve and protect,” and not be at the frontlines of violating rights, let alone arbitrarily curtailing one’s right to life.

The suspect identified as Police Master Sergeant Hensie Zinampan was assigned to the Philippine National Police – Police Security and Protection Group and has since been turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit in Camp Karingal. Reports say that Zinampan had also previously threatened and was involved in an altercation with Valdez’s son during a drinking spree earlier in May.

We note the directive of the Chief of the Philippine National Police to the Quezon City Police District to file murder and administrative cases against Zinampan.

At the same time, after a string of recent deaths and killings being attributed to police officers, we urge the PNP to translate commitments of internal cleansing into actual reduction of cases of human rights violations on the ground. One death is one too many. We urge the government to address these violations with the larger view that the protection of human rights is primarily a State obligation. ###