MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde has directed police units to cooperate with the Special Investigation Task Force (SITF) formed in connection with the tragic misencounter between a police unit and members of the Philippine Army in Santa Rita, Samar Monday morning.
Albayalde flew to Samar Tuesday to meet with police officials in the Eastern Visayas province.
In a statement sent to Manila reporters, the PNP said it mourns the loss of six police rookies in Eastern Visayas, who were killed by “friendly fire” in a “misencounter” with government troops .
“I extend the deepest sympathy of the PNP to the families of the six young men who died in that unfortunate incident in Sta. Rita, Samar, even as I assure the surviving kin of all possible assistance of the PNP to ease their grief, including a full dress investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Albayalde said.
The PNP chief also ordered Chief Supt. Mariel Magaway, Eastern Visayas Police Regional Office 8 director, to facilitate the processing and speedy release of all benefits due to the families of the deceased PNP members from the 805th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 (RMFB 8).
He also instructed Magaway to attend to the medical needs of PNP personnel wounded in the incident.
All concerned PNP units were also ordered to extend utmost cooperation and assistance to the Special Investigation Task Group that was created to conduct a fact-finding investigation of the incident in coordination with AFP counterparts.
The incident occurred at about 9:20 a.m. Monday at Sitio Lunoy, Barangay San Roque, Santa Rita town when elements of 1st Platoon, 805th Company, RMFB 8, led by Chief Inspector Don Archie Suspene, while conducting patrol heading towards Sitio Canunay, Barangay Rosal were waylaid with volume of fire by undetermined number of unidentified armed men, prompting them to return fire.(Benjamin Pulta/PNA)
