Duterte: the only NBI agency to investigate the confrontation between PNP and PDEA

President Duterte has appointed the National Bureau of Investigation as the sole agency that would investigate the shooting between members of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), closing their joint investigation to “ensure impartiality.” .

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Friday that it was the NBI’s mandate to investigate incidents involving the uniformed services so that the investigation is nonpartisan.

The president ordered the joint investigation board created by the PNP and the PDEA to “discontinue” its investigation, Roque said.

“This is to ensure fairness in the Quezon City shooting incident,” he said.

PNP spokesman Brig. General Ildebrandi Usana said that the PNP “readily submits to the instructions of the president.”

PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said there was nothing more to say about the president’s order. “That is the directive of the PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte),” he said.

Carreón added that the House of Representatives and the Senate were “within their powers” to also conduct their own investigations.

Priority case

NBI spokesman Ferdinand Lavin said the office was ready to comply with the president’s order to lead the investigation. “We are up to the challenge,” he told reporters.

“This is not the first time the NBI has been assigned to handle cases involving problems with different law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Lavin said NBI director Eric Distor had assigned the National Capital Region office to lead the investigation. “The director has considered this a priority case,” he said.

The Wednesday night shooting has raised many questions about the drug operation near the Ever Gotesco Mall on busy Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

It is unclear what caused the shooting that killed two police officers, a PDEA officer and a PDEA informant.

Endangering civilians

Lawmakers criticized the PDEA and PNP for endangering the lives of civilians who may have been caught in the crossfire when counter-narcotics agents turned parts of Commonwealth Avenue into a “war zone” during the afternoon rush hour.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto asked the Senate to investigate the shooting and reconstruct what had happened.

Recto said that with two former PNP chiefs in the chamber, Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Panfilo Lacson, the truth could be reached.

“People are demanding answers as to why a supposedly coordinated operation ended up as a circular firing squad,” Recto said in a statement.

“And it seems that the only institution people trust that can shed a powerful light on the incident, quickly, courageously and fairly, is the Senate,” he added.

Dela Rosa said Thursday that her public order and dangerous drugs committee would open its own investigation into the shooting.

In the House, Pacman Vice President and Representative Michael Romero said that the PNP and PDEA had endangered people’s lives “while [they were] making the center of the super wanted Commonwealth Avenue as its own war zone. “

Romero said the statements by the two law enforcement agencies “raised more questions than answers,” particularly about who was the buyer and who was the seller in what both the PDEA and the PNP had billed as a “purchase transaction. -drop”. operation, there is assumed to be a buyer and a seller. There cannot be two buyers and no seller, ”said Romero.

Camera summons

He said that the Republic Law No. 9165, or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law, classified the sale of illegal drugs as a capital crime punishable by life imprisonment.

“Even in a buy-raid operation, it is still illegal for uniformed personnel to play the role of salesperson… We hope there is no cover-up in the investigation so that the public knows the true and complete story,” said Romero.

PDEA director general Wilkins Villanueva said Thursday that neither his agency nor the PNP was involved in a “sales raid” operation because it was illegal.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House of Representatives dangerous drugs committee, said he would begin an investigation into the shooting next week.

Barbers told the Inquirer that his panel would convene key PDEA and PNP officials for a hearing.

Quality control concerns

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte met with local police officers, barangay leaders and officials from the Department of Public Order and Security and other agencies on Friday to voice their concerns about the drug operation.

“First of all, I want to know why an operation was carried out in a very public place. If there were a setback in the operation like what happened, innocent lives could be at stake, ”Belmonte told reporters.

He also questioned the lack of coordination with local officials. While he understood that such operations were confidential, he said that he should be notified to know what to expect.

“I think it is not fair that the city government is left out,” Belmonte said.

“It seems that there are many protocols that must be mapped or guidelines that must be institutionalized so that when a situation like this happens again, we can protect civilians, companies and that emergency situations are not affected. , “she said. —WITH REPORTS FROM JULIE M. AURELIO, DEXTER CABALZA, MARLON RAMOS AND NIKKA G. VALENZUELA

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