On December 20, 2020, a shooting incident occurred in Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines, when a police officer, Jonel Nuezca, fatally shot two of his neighbors, Sonia and Frank Gregorio, after a heated argument over an improvised noisemaker (boga).
The incident was caught on camera and went viral on social media, sparking nationwide outrage and reigniting the discussion over police brutality and human rights violations in recent years.
[2] According to World Population Review, data from 2020 shows that the Philippines ranked third among the countries with the highest cases of police killings with 3,451 have been recorded after Brazil and Venezuela.
[3] During the time of his administration, Former President of the Republic of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has made remarks on ordering the police to shoot-to-kill.
[3] Jonel Montales Nuezca (October 17, 1974 – November 30, 2021) was a native of Urdaneta, Pangasinan, but resided in Barangay Cabayaoasan, Paniqui, Tarlac.
[9] The incident started when Nuezca had gone to investigate the Gregorios who were setting up a boga – an improvised noisemaker cannon either made of bamboo, a PVC pipe, or linkage of opened tin cans.
[10] The circumstances of the incident was captured on camera: It shows Nuezca (in civilian clothes), accompanied by his daughter, rushing to the Gregorio family's house.
[15][16][13] According to the Paniqui Municipal Police, the suspect immediately fled the crime scene and went to his parents' house in Urdaneta, Pangasinan.
[22] A day after the incident, numerous netizens and celebrities condemned the killings on social media with the hashtags #StopTheKillingsPH, #PulisAngTerorista ("Police Are Terrorists"), #EndPoliceBrutality and #JusticeForSonyaGregorio dominating on Twitter in the Philippines, as well as in Singapore and Dubai.
This caused UNICEF Philippines to issue a public advisory to discourage the spread of such information on social media where Elisha has been "repeatedly vilified and verbally abused".
[25] Interior Secretary Eduardo Año condemned the incident, vowing the government would file the criminal cases against Nuezca.
[26] Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte, who supports the police under his administration, will not protect Nuezca because of his crimes.
[31] Police Captain Ariel Buraga of Bato, Catanduanes was relieved from duty after he commented on social media justifying the shooting of the Gregorios.
[34] Senator Franklin Drilon stated that the suspect should "spend Christmas and a lifetime in jail" and called the incident "pure evil.
"[34] Senator Leila de Lima was angered over the incident, calling it "appalling and shocking" while adding Duterte's name in her statement.
"[11] On the other hand, Senators Ronald dela Rosa, also a former PNP chief, Bong Revilla, and Manny Pacquiao considered the "reinstitution of the death penalty.
[48] On November 30, 2021, Nuezca died while in captivity at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, at the age of 47 after he collapsed while walking outside his dormitory building.