FEELING the heat of a massive manhunt ordered by National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Supt. Alan M. Purisima, three Makati City policemen accused of killing a 13-year-old boy scavenging for scrap iron last Monday surrendered to their superiors at the Southern Police District.

Purisima said Chief Insp. Angelo Germinal, the chief of the Makati City Police-Community Precinct 5, and his men, PO3 Robert Rinion and PO1 Nicolas Apostol Jr. will be placed under the restrictive custody of SPD director Chief Supt. Joe Arne M. de los Santos. The three were stripped of their service firearms and badges as a matter of police procedure.

He said apart from murder, the three will be facing administrative charges for grave misconduct which will warrant their dismissal from the service once found guilty.

“We will give the three suspects due process as provided by law. However, once found guilty, they will be immediately fired from the service without benefits as the NCRPO has no room for misfits and scalawags,” the NCRPO director told the Journal Group.

Purisima, a former deputy director of the Philippine National Police Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, the main PNP unit tasked to investigate complaints against rogue police officers and men, said the three will be investigated for violating the PNP Operational Procedures, particularly on the use of warning shot.

Germinal claimed he merely fired a warning shot to scare away the scavengers. However, the PNP, under its reform program, has long banned the use of warning shots in every police operation.

A fuming Purisima on Tuesday morning ordered a massive hunt for the three Makati City policemen and gave them until Wednesday afternoon to surrender to their superiors and face the consequences of their actions.

The three turned themselves in to De los Santos following negotiations with their colleagues.

Purisima, irked by the slow action of Makati City policemen on the case of the shooting victim identified as Christian Serrano, ordered De los Santos to supervise the hunt for the three and apply the full force of the law against them.

He also ordered the relief of Makati City Police Station officer-in-charge, Supt. Victor Loares for his failure to report the incident to higher headquarters within 24 hours.         Purisima said he has ordered Loares to explain why no appropriate administrative sanction should be slapped on him for his failed reporting. Supt. Jaime Santos was designated to replace Loares.

“I am warning all chiefs of police and station commanders to better do your job, and inform immediately your superiors of any major incidents happening in your area of responsibility,”  Purisima said.

“I don’t want a repeat of this incident. Let this serve as a warning. I will not hesitate to relieve you from your posts if you are remiss of your duties,” he added.

Serrano was reportedly scavenging for scrap iron in an abandoned building in Kamagong Street corner Bagtikan St. in Makati City when shot by the suspects. The three have failed to report for duty since then..