PNP chief defends cops linked to killing of drug suspects

Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), defended yesterday the Manila policemen who were implicated in the alleged execution of three suspected drug pushers in Tondo last month.

Dela Rosa also questioned the timing of the release of the Reuters special report that includes a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage showing Manila policemen allegedly killing the three drug suspects.

“It was recorded October 11 but why did they not show it on 12, 13, 14 or 15? Why was it shown almost December when there was an oral argument at the Supreme Court and there is rumor that the PNP will go back to the war on drugs,” said Dela Rosa.

He is referring to the Supreme Court oral arguments on the petition questioning the legality of a memorandum circular governing the war on drugs.

“The video was also well-edited as well as the timing of how the suspect fell down,” Dela Rosa said.

The CCTV footage showed one of the three drug suspect falling down after a cop fired his gun.

But Dela Rosa said the video footage did not capture everything, including the possibility that the suspect indeed fought off.

The Manila Police District insisted that it was a legitimate operation and that the three suspects fired at the policemen.

“Wala pong nakuha sa video. Kasi ang video po na sinasabi nila ay mahigit 50 meters [away] sa encounter area kaya hindi po conclusive at the very least. Inconclusive po yung video (Nothing was captured in the video. It was taken about 50 meters from the encounter area, so it is inconclusive),” said P/Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel during an interview over radio DZMM.

“There was really malice. There was an intention to make it appear that policemen are bad,” said Dela Rosa.

Nevertheless, Dela Rosa said he would leave everything to the investigating team now looking into the incident.

But he said he did not order relief of the policemen involved in the operation since he does not see anything wrong about it.

He, however, said that he would submit to any recommendation proposed by the investigating team.

According to Coronel the story released by Reuters last Nov. 27 was “incomplete.”

“Nakita naman po na nagtatakbuhan yung mga tao kasi nagkaroon po ng parang habulan nung panahon na yun dahil nagka-alarma na yung mga pulis sa area at yung mga suspects ay nagtangkang lumaban at nagpaputok sa pulis ay doon po nagkaroon ng encounter (The footage showed people running away because there was a chase and they were alarmed when they saw the suspects fire at the policemen, so there was an encounter),” he explained.

A police report from the MPD-Crimes Against Investigation Section (CAPIS) showed that the suspects, Rolando Campo, 60, Sherwin Bitas, 34, and a certain “Kalbo,” reportedly initiated a shootout with the lawmen of Moriones-Tondo Police Station around 12:50 p.m. of Oct. 11, along an alley in Sta. Barbarra and Kagitingan Streets.