THE Makabayan bloc has filed a resolution urging two committees at the House of Representatives to probe the misencounter between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Sta. Rita, Samar, that resulted in the death of six policemen.
Last June 25, elements of the Philippine Army's 87th Infantry Battalion fired at the policemen belonging to the 805th mobile company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion while they were conducting counterinsurgency operations in Barangay San Roque, Sta. Rita town.
READ: 6 cops killed in Samar 'misencounter' with Army
The AFP said they mistook the police as members of the New People's Army.
Superintendent Glen Oliver Cinco, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 officer-in-charge; and Chief Inspector Don Archie Suspeñe, 805th Mobile Company; and Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Floresca, battalion commander of the Army's 87th Infantry Battalion, have been relieved of their posts pending the result of the investigation on the case.
READ: AFP open to probe in Samar 'misencounter'
The Makabayan bloc said "the families of the victims expressed their fears of a cover-up or a whitewash as President [Rodrigo] Duterte said 'nobody wants that to happen' and this was caused by Murphy's Law.' They fear that the case will be whitewashed like what happened in the Mamasapano case."
READ: Duterte takes full responsibility for Samar misencounter
"Now therefore, be it resolved that the House of Representative committee on national defense and security and committee on public order and safety to jointly conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the reported misencounter between the soldiers and the police in Sta. Rita, Samar, that resulted [in] the killing by Army troops of six PNP personnel and the wounding of nine others," the resolution reads.
Members of the Makabayan coalition are ACT Teachers Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Gabriela Representatives Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago, Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate, and Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao. (SunStar Philippines)