PNP urges militants’ cooperation on US embassy dispersal probe

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) urged militants yesterday to cooperate with the ongoing investigation into the violent dispersal by Manila cops of protesters at the United States Embassy on Oct. 19.

PNP spokesman Dionardo Carlos said statements of the protesters, particularly those who were injured during the violent anti-US rally, are as vital as the affidavits given by the police personnel involved in the incident.

On Monday, militants staged a protest in front of the national police’s main headquarters in Quezon City to urge PNP to create an independent investigating team to look into the incident.

“We are open. If there is an investigation, why not? No problem about that,” Carlos said.

More than 30 people, including police personnel, were injured last Oct. 19 after a police van driven by Police Officer 3 Franklin Kho repeatedly rammed protesters engaged in anti-US rally.

On Monday, the PNP said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was given two weeks to finish its report on the incident.

Earlier, PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa urged the militants to give the CIDG investigation the benefit of the doubt.

“Let’s wait for the result of the DILG probe. If they are not satisfied, then we’ll see. What is important is that it will never happen again because it’s not good,” he said.

Dela Rosa said he already met the police personnel involved in the incident and urged them to face whatever will be the result of the investigation.

(AP FOTO) CALLING FOR JUSTICE. Children from the Philippine indigenous peoples known as ‘Lumads’ of Mindanao form a human peace symbol during a cultural activity at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City. The Lumads travelled to the country’s capital...