THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao has ordered the top cop in Misamis Oriental to investigate the death of two Libertad shootout suspects killed in transit on Friday, February 21.
PRO-Northern Mindanao spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mardy Hortillosa said it is the Regional Internal Affairs Service's protocol to conduct investigation every time suspects are killed during police operation.
Hortillosa said the police officers who escorted the two suspects will have to face administrative sanctions if lapses and negligence on the side of the police personnel are established.
"PRO-10 (Northern Mindanao) already directed the director of MisOr (Misamis Oriental) to conduct investigation [on] why the incident happened," Hortillosa said.
Police Colonel Roy Bahian is the director of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Police Office.
"The personnel will remain regular in the performance of duty until convicted on the administrative proceeding," he added.
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The two suspects were killed while they were being transported by police to the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail in Cagayan de Oro City.
They had allegedly asked for a bathroom break when the police car that was transporting them developed a mechanical problem in Laguindingan town.
On Wednesday last week, a shootout occurred in a checkpoint in Libertad, Misamis Oriental.
The gun battle killed Police Staff Sergeant Ronald Caayupan and another suspect, Jephone Tinamisan, and wounded another police officer Police Chief Master Sergeant Fernando Maestrado and a female civilian.
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Tinamisan was the driver of the Mitsubishi mirage that was flagged down by the police at the checkpoint.
The five armed men on board the car fired their guns, prompting the police to return fire.
Recovered after the shootout were several guns, explosives, illegal drugs and other items.