PNP probes minor’s death in GenSan ‘shootout’

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April 23, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —  The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started investigating the death of a 12-year-old girl in an alleged shootout between policemen and an armed man in General Santos City on Saturday.

PNP-Internal Affairs Service chief General Brigido Dulay said the probe would determine how the girl was caught in the crossfire.

Even if the police operation was legitimate, Dulay said there is still a need to review the action of the officers involved in the incident, which occurred in Barangay Labangal.

Reports said the officers were pursuing a 42-year-old mechanic, identified as Ryan Sangbaan, for alleged indiscriminate firing.

Video footage showed a policeman hiding behind a house while shooting Sangbaan, who was later found dead.

The girl was found in the house with a gunshot to the head.

Police claimed that the bullet that killed the girl came from the firearm of the suspect.

Aside from a handgun, police said they found two sachets of shabu from the suspect.