ILOILO City – “Drug busters” in Western Visayas made this clear: they have a good working relationship in combatting illegal drugs.
The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA-6) are shaking off the possibility of a “misencounter” similar to what happened between members of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and PDEA that left four persons dead on Wednesday night.
Graziella Tanaleon, PDEA-6 spokesperson, said all drug operations in Western Visayas were properly coordinated with the Philippine National Police.
“‘Misencounter’ is far from happening here. We coordinate with the local police so they are aware that we are conducting an operation,” Tanaleon told Panay News.
She added: “We always discuss with the police our operations and share with them our list of targets.”
PRO-6 spokesperson, Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, echoed Tanaleon’s statement in a separate interview.
“We could not operate without the presence of PDEA,” Malong said. “PDEA is the lead agency (in the campaign against illegal drugs) so we have to inform them of our operations.”
To recall, two QCPD officers were among those who died during Wednesday’s shootout near a mall in Quezon City.
On the side of PDEA, one of their personnel and an informant was killed.
Two other personnel who were previously reported critical are now in stable condition.
A board of inquiry was formed to determine what happened and who should be held liable since both sides claimed that the drug operation was “legitimate and properly coordinated.”
“(Part of the) agreement with the Director General of PDEA (Wilkins Villanueva), we will find out what really happened. Kung sino talaga may sala (Whoever erred), whether PDEA or Philippine National Police (PNP), we will file a case against and if evidence warrants, we will go for it. Wala po kaming pagtatakpan (There will be no cover-up),” PNP chief, General Debold Sinas told reporters during a joint press briefing in Camp Crame yesterday.
Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra also ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel investigation.
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana appealed to the public to stop speculations on what really transpired during the incident.
“Neither agency has an exact notion of what went wrong and what was supposed to have been done. We, therefore, appeal to the public to let the investigation take its course first before anyone makes unfounded and baseless claims without the required strength of evidence. We will speak only on the basis of verified facts, not on mere speculations nor conjectures,” he stressed./PN
