MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday condemned the murder of Sonya and Frank Anthony Gregorio, who were shot by an off-duty policeman in Tarlac following an argument over an improvised cannon.

According to Robredo, Police Senior Master Sgt. Jonel Nuezca is part of a "larger architecture of impunity" that allowed him to stay in service despite previous misconduct.

"There will be those who will lay all blame on the person who pulled the trigger, as if he were not part of a larger architecture of impunity. Despite a clear pattern of brutality and a string of cases that made his propensity for violence apparent, the leadership allowed him to remain in service: May tsapa, may baril (with badge and service firearm)," she said in a statement.

Vice President @lenirobredo says the off-duty cop who shot dead a woman and her son, execution-style in broad daylight, is "part of a larger architecture of impunity." | via @jmnpunzalan pic.twitter.com/0LEXCygK99

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) December 21, 2020

Nuezca, 46, who is currently assigned at the Parañaque City Police Crime Laboratory, has a history of grave misconduct and faced 2 homicide cases in recent years, based on a document from the Philippine National Police.

• Cop behind Tarlac killings has 2 other homicide, grave misconduct cases

Robredo urged the public to not allow the incident to divide Filipinos.

"Para ilayo ang usapan sa mas malalaking istruktura, tanong, at pananagutan, mayroon ding lilikha ng tunggalian sa pagitan ng pulis at mamamayan. Pipilitin nila tayong magdebate pa. They will use this incident, as they have many other incidents before, to divide us," she warned.

"May those who wish to downplay what happened by creating discord among us never succeed in stripping us of our humanity. May we find anchorage in our common human response to these deaths: Kinilabutan tayo, nabasag ang puso natin, mali ito," she said.

"We are bound in horror, grief, and empathy for Sonya and Frank Gregorio, as we are bound in condemnation of their senseless murders and of the murders of so many innocents over the past years."

Robredo said she is one with the public in seeking reforms in the PNP, as well as justice for the Gregorios.

"Kaisa ako sa pagtatrabaho upang magsulong ng mas makataong kultura sa hanay ng pulisya, at sa panawagan ng hustisya para sa mag-inang Gregorio," she said.

On Sunday afternoon, Nuezca shot the Gregorios in Paniqui, Tarlac after a verbal tussle, and even while his young daughter was watching the commotion.

As seen on now-viral videos, the murders happened after Nuezca's daughter proudly shouted "my father is a policeman” and was briefly mocked by Sonya.

The policeman was off-duty when the incident took place. He later surrendered to police and was charged Monday with two counts of murder.

• Policeman in viral slay video indicted for 2 counts of murder

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