Kin of killed, wounded cops frowns on DU30’s ‘no blame’
PALO, LEYTE — The families of the six policemen who died when fired upon by soldiers in the mountains of Sta. Rita town in Samar, in what was described as a “misencounter,” were dejected to hear President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that the incident was “not intentional and no one should be blamed,” except himself.
Duterte, who arrived Tacloban City from Cebu City on Friday, visited the wake of the killed policemen — at the Matapat Hall in the Police Regional Office-8 headquarters in Palo, Leyte — and met the bereaved families. He then proceeded to the hospital where the nine other wounded policemen were confined for treatment.
The president conferred medals to each of the killed and wounded policemen, then ordered the release of P225,000 to each of the families of the “misencounter” victims.
The families, after a brief talk with Duterte, however came out dismayed over the president’s taking the blame instead over the fatal and bloody “misencounter,” or what other sources surmised as an ambuscade by a co-government force.
Rosario, mother of Police Officer 1 Mendigo, and Rachel, wife of PO1 Reyes, told The FREEMAN that if they are not contented of the results of the investigation by the Joint Board of Inquiry into the incident, then they will unite in filing of criminal charges against the members of the 87th Infantry Battalion, who attacked the hapless policemen.
“However, this is the best opportunity for us to ask Pres. Duterte to help us complete the investigation in the soonest possible time to give us justice. We still feel na hindi niya kami papabayaan,” Rosario and Rachel said.
Earlier the Philippine National Police released P100,000 in financial assistance to each family of the victims. But Rachel said this would not mean they are already “fine and okay” because their need is “for genuine justice for this unfortunate incident.”
The brothers of PO1 Julie Escalo, who believed more on the ambush version than on the misencounter about the incident, said they want justice for the death of their sibling.
The parents of PO1 Wendell Moromor who was from Matag-ob, Leyte, expressed disappointment over Duterte’s public statement, about not blaming anyone, and that they no longer hope that the results of the investigation will favor or give justice to the slain policemen.
Duterte, in his speech at the Sangyaw Festival ceremony after visiting the wake, said nobody should be blamed for the misencounter. “Just forget it; it was not intentional. The Murphy’s Law operates as it is … if things go wrong, it will go wrong.”
Duterte even advised the military and the police to “bury the hatchet caused by the misencounter,” although he assured that the investigation will continue to determine what went wrong.
Duterte also asked instead for forgiveness to the immediate families of the policemen, saying that nobody wanted such incident to happen. “I’d like to tell you that the ultimate blame, fault is on me. Being the commanderin-chief (of both the police and the military), I am their leader. It was my fault, and I take full responsibility for it.”
Regional Director Maribel Sacendoncillo of the DILG-Region 8 refused to comment if her office should recommend for the relief of the commander of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division and the regional director of the PRO-8, based on the doctrine of command responsibility like what the president did in blaming himself.
Meanwhile, Major General Raul Farnacio, commander of the 8th ID, said Duterte’s statement was consistent to the actual incident that it was not really intentional on the part of the soldiers.