THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will conduct a separate probe on the alleged misencounter between agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-illegal drug operatives that left two policemen dead and several others injured on Wednesday night.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he has instructed the NBI to look into the incident despite the creation of a joint PNP-PDEA board of inquiry that would look into the shooting incident which took place just outside the Ever Gotesco mall in Quezon City.
The board will determine how the incident happened and who should be held liable.
“I have ordered the NBI to conduct a parallel investigation on the alleged misencounter this evening (Wednesday) between the PNP anti-illegal drug operatives and PDEA agents at Commonwealth Avenue. This is a separate and distinct from the probe to be conducted by an ad hoc joint PNP-PDEA board of inquiry by PNO Chief Debold Sinas,” Guevarra said.
National Capital Regional Police Office director Major Gen. Vicente Danao said PDEA agents and the Quezon City Police District-Drug Enforcement Unit were conducting legitimate operations when the shooting broke out.
Initial reports showed that QCPD’s District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) launched a buy-bust operation near the Ever Gotesco Mall, not knowing that they were dealing with PDEA’s Special Enforcement Service (SES) agents.
However, PDEA spokesperson Director Derrick Carreon said their agents were also on a legitimate anti-illegal drug operation in the same area.
In a statement, PNP spokesman Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana revealed the board of inquiry would determine what happened and who should be held liable.
Usana said Sinas has also designated the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) as the lead investigating body while Danao was assigned to provide updates from the PNP to ensure the public gets accurate and relevant information amid a swirl of speculations about possible wrongdoing by law enforcers.
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