House: ‘Leave Atimonan shooting probe to NBI’

MANILA -- Several members of the House of Representatives would rather let the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) handle the probe into the Atimonan shooting incident that killed 13 people last week.

Antipolo City Representative Romeo Acop, vice chairman of the House committee on public order and safety, said, “Let us leave police matters to them,” despite a House resolution filed by Minority Leader and Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez seeking a legislative inquiry over the matter.

Suarez filed House Resolution 2987 calling on the House committees on local government, and public order and safety to conduct an inquiry into the shooting incident between police authorities and alleged members of a crime syndicate in Atimonan, Quezon.

Acop said: “The NBI has been designated as the agency to investigate the incident and we should let our authorities to work on it. Besides, a parallel probe of Congress could complicate the situation, especially if there are different results.”

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., in his support to Acop’s statement, also said a congressional probe should be initiated “only after the NBI has been given a reasonable time to complete its inquiry.”

Reports say the Senate is set to start its own inquiry when Congress resumes session on January 21. Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. called for the probe.

Meanwhile, NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Virgilio Mendez described the Atimonan shooting as an “overkill” and “not justified.”

The NBI’s report and recommendation will likely be released on Friday, January 18. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)