President Rodrigo Duterte was saddened by the misencounter between operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“The President, of course, expressed both sadness and concern, bakit nangyari nga ito na kapuwa tao ng gobyerno ay nagkaputukan (on why it happened that both forces of the government got into a gunfight),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque relayed.
Sec. Roque added that President Duterte assured authorities will “go again to the bottom of this incident” similar to what was done in Sulu.
The Palace assured that there will be an impartial investigation “and justice will be done.”
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday issued a directive to let the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) solely investigate on the misencounter.
“The President likewise ordered the joint panel formed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to discontinue their ongoing investigation. This is to ensure impartiality on the Quezon City shootout incident,” Sec.Harry Roque announced.
PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva earlier appealed during a joint press conference with the PNP to give enough time for the board of inquiry to investigate, saying they cannot yet disclose how it happened as they are “still collecting evidence.”
Among the angles being looked into is the possibility of the government operatives getting played on by syndicates. Villanueva surmised they might have been sabotaged by a wrong informant.
The casualties of the incident have reached four, including two police personnel, a PDEA agent, and a PDEA asset.
The PNP and PDEA assured the incident will not affect their intensified cooperation to combat illegal drugs in the country.
PNP Chief General Debold Sinas has directed all police personnel nationwide to remain calm and continue cooperating with PDEA.
“This unfortunate incident will not destroy the coordination and trust and confidence we had with our partner sa (in) PDEA,” PGen. Sinas ensured. – Report from Bea Bernardo
