Friday, June 06, 2008 Police submit reports on 'rubout' to CHR
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has provided reports that may be of use to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) that is looking into the alleged rubout of suspects in a bank robbery in Cabuyao, Laguna that claimed nine bank employees and a depositor.
PNP Director for Police Community Relations Leopoldo Bataoil said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted to the CHR the documents, including the incident report, in the alleged rubout of at least three of the four robbery suspects during operations in Tanauan City last May 21 and 22.
"The Special Investigation Team created to look into allegations of a rubout in the series of police operations in Tanauan City last May 21 and 22, has already provided the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) with the pertinent reports and documents regarding the incident," said.
The SIT was created to determine whether or not the Police Operational Procedures were followed in these operations, and if there were any lapses or irregularity in the performance of duty by the police personnel concerned.
Bataoil said Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Mendoza, deputy director for the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management who supervises the SIT, is in close coordination with the CHR through lawyer Jacqueline de Guia of the Legal Division.
"Among the documents forwarded to the CHR were copies of incident reports dated May 21 and May 22, 2008 submitted by the regional director of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Police Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, and five separate reports from the Scene of Crime
Operations (Soco)," said Bataoil.
Bataoil said at present, field investigators are completing the interview of witnesses to the incidents, including relatives of the four persons who were killed as a result of the police operation.
All nine PNP personnel involved in the operations led by Superintendents Gilbert Sauro and Marcelino Villafranca, and the seven police non-commissioned officers have been reassigned to the Calabarzon Police Regional Office to ensure their availability to face investigation.
One of the respondents, Senior Police Officer 1 Reynaldo Salazar who is recovering from two gunshot wounds suffered during the operation, will also be summoned to give his statement to SIT investigators as soon as his medical condition improves.
"The SIT will get the individual statements of the nine PNP personnel to establish consistency with statements of the witnesses. The SIT and CHR are also jointly reviewing the Soco reports to ascertain that there are no discrepancies with the statements provided by witnesses," said Bataoil.
"Rest assured, the PNP will get to the bottom of this incident. It is our intention to answer all questions and clarify all doubts in the interest of justice and proper performance of police duty," added Bataoil. (VR/Sunnex)
