NAPOLCOM probes Bulacan cops over alleged assault on 17-year-old boy

The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) is investigating police officers in Baliwag, Bulacan, after a 17-year-old boy allegedly suffered a fractured arm when he was struck with a rifle at an unmarked checkpoint on 31 October 2026.

The boy's father filed an administrative complaint with NAPOLCOM on Friday, 13 November, seeking accountability for the alleged assault and the officers' reported failure to provide his injured son with immediate medical attention.

According to the complainant, his son was driving a motorcycle with a passenger along the Baliwag-Pulilan Bypass Road when they encountered two police officers standing along the road.

The teenager reportedly continued driving after seeing another motorcycle pass without being stopped.

However, one of the officers allegedly struck him with a long firearm.

Fearing for their safety, the teenager and his passenger fled but were later intercepted by police officers in an alley and brought to a police station, where the motorcycle was issued a ticket for impoundment.

The father said a policewoman initially examined his son's arm but dismissed the injury as a bruise.

He subsequently brought the teenager to a hospital, where an X-ray taken at around 11 p.m. revealed a fracture.

The boy was later transferred to another medical facility because the first hospital had no orthopedic specialist available.

The father said the incident prevented his son from attending school for two weeks, while he also missed work to attend to the teenager's needs.

He initially sought assistance from the Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service but withdrew his complaint and filed it with NAPOLCOM instead.

Use of force questioned

NAPOLCOM Commissioner Rafael Vicente Calinisan questioned the officers' alleged failure to immediately refer the injured teenager for medical examination and documentation.

“Malinaw naman ang pasa sa kamay ng bata. Even at first glance, that was not an ordinary bruise. That should have prompted an immediate medical examination and medico-legal documentation. Kung sa ordinaryong proseso ay kailangang ipasuri ang isang taong nasugatan, lalo na dapat nating tiyakin ang kalagayan ng isang bata. There is something here that needs to be looked into,” Calinisan said.

He also questioned whether striking a minor with a firearm could be considered reasonable force, even if the officers had grounds to stop the motorcycle.

“Assuming na kailangan natin siyang pigilan dahil tumakas siya sa checkpoint, was the force used reasonable? Was it justified to strike a minor with a firearm just to make him stop? I don't think so. Dito tututok ang imbestigasyon na ito, at siguradong mananagot ang dapat managot,” he said.

Calinisan stressed that legitimate police checkpoints must have visible signage, proper supervision and adequate lighting.

“An established checkpoint must be clearly marked, properly supervised by an officer, and located in a well-lit and visible area, not in a dark corner. We are still investigating the circumstances of this incident, and I cannot make a judgment based solely on the complainant’s account. However, hitting a child with a rifle and causing a fracture, especially when proper medical attention was allegedly not provided, is something I cannot agree with. That is not correct,” he said.

Command responsibility under scrutiny

NAPOLCOM will examine whether the checkpoint was legitimate, whether the officers used excessive force and why the teenager allegedly received inadequate medical attention while in police custody.

Investigators will also determine whether supervising officers should be held accountable for possible lapses.

“Una, sino ang namumuno sa checkpoint? Kung legitimate ang checkpoint, bakit walang markings? Dapat alam ng opisyal na namumuno at nasisiguro niyang maayos ang supervision sa kanyang mga tauhan. Pangalawa, tama ba ang paggamit ng dahas para pahintuin ang isang menor de edad? Pangatlo, bakit nadala sa presinto, na-impound ang motorsiklo at nagawan ng papeles ang sasakyan, pero hindi nabigyan ng kaukulang atensyon ang batang may malinaw na injury? At pang-apat, nasaan ang supervision ng kanilang mga nakatataas? May command responsibility ba rito? Lahat ng ito ay sisiyasatin natin,” Calinisan said.

He said the officers involved could face administrative charges for neglect of duty and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

Personnel who handled the incident and their superiors could also face administrative liability, depending on the investigation's findings.

Calinisan said NAPOLCOM was still verifying the identities of the officers involved and would not disclose their names without official documentation.

“We may already have an idea who they are, but I will not mention any names until I have the official documents before me,” he said.

“Hihimayin natin ito hanggang magtanda ang lahat ng pulis na bawal ang pang-aabuso sa kanilang serbisyo,” he stressed.

Calinisan thanked the teenager's family for pursuing the complaint and assured them that the commission would investigate the allegations.

“Maraming salamat sa pamilya sa tiwalang ibinigay ninyo sa National Police Commission. Patuloy naming kukunin ang tiwala ng taumbayan. We will stop this culture of violence and impunity. This has to stop, and we are saying no to this. We will continue doing our job,” Calinisan said.