PNP chief defends policemen in Abra checkpoint incident
NAtionalpolicechiefgeneral Dionardo carlos has defended the policemen charged with murder by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), saying their official acts were in performance of their election duties mandated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Carlos said during a news briefing on Monday that the checkpoint put up by policemen in the town of Pilar in Abra was legitimate, and that the shootout was allegedly prompted by the disregard of security personnel of the town’s vice mayor.
The NBI earlier recommended the filing of murder charges against several policemen from Abra and from the Cordillera Administrative Region led by regional director Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee after NBI claimed that there was no checkpoint in place during the time of the incident.
A former Marine personnel serving as one of the 12 bodyguards of Pilar Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Disono died after he and his colleagues aboard a vehicle sped through a checkpoint put up by policemen in the town two weeks ago.
Upon pursuit, the bodyguards reportedly fired at the policemen as shown by a bullet hole in one of the police cars. This reportedly prompted the policemen to fire back.
While not commenting on the charges lodged by the NBI, Carlos said Disono and her convoy of security personnel disregarded a legitimate police checkpoint in place, other than shooting at the policemen who pursued them.
“They disregarded the checkpoint,” the PNP chief stressed, noting the presence of armed men and firearms during the incident.
The security personnel drove straight and followed Disono into her residence, which prompted the policemen to surround and secure the residence for hours before the bodyguards gave up where firearms, which were seized by the policemen.
Disono and her bodyguards have been facing charges, including the employment of armed men as security personnel and detailing of firearms not covered by any authorizations from Comelec.
Carlos said video footages showed Disono and her convoy attempted to run over the policemen as they disregarded the checkpoint that the lawmen were manning. The checkpoint was prompted by intelligence reports about the presence of armed men in Pilar for days and weeks.