PNP orders probe of misencounter between police, military in Samar

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar D. Albayalde has ordered an investigation into the bloody misencounter between the police and military in Samar, a police official said Tuesday.

PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr. said the PNP has formed a Special Investigation Task Group to conduct a fact-finding investigation of the incident that killed six policemen and injured nine others.

The PNP has also formed a Board of Inquiry (BOI) led by Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) Eastern Visayas Dir. Rolando Felix.

He will be joined by the Directorate for Operations Executive Officer Chief Supt. Rene Pamuspusan, Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management Executive Officer Chief Supt. Adelio Benjamin Castillo, and a representative from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

In a press briefing, Durana said BOI would serve as a support group and coordinate closely with its counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“Support group ang BOI. It will closely coordinate with AFP counterparts, [it] not only look into incident itself but also operational strategic ramification of incident so that it will not happen again,” Durana said.

Meanwhile, Albayalde vowed for a “full dress investigation” to serve justice in the policemen’s deaths.

“I extend the deepest sympathy of the PNP to the families of the six young men who died in that unfortunate incident in Sta. Rita, Samar, even as I assure the surviving kin of all possible assistance of the PNP to ease their grief, including a full dress investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Albayalde said in a statement.

According to initial reports from Police Regional Office 8, the incident happened on Monday at 9:27 a.m. at Brgy. Sta. Rosa in Villareal, Samar.

The casualties, troops of the 805th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8, were ambushed by members of 87th Infantry Battalion while conducting minor combat operations in the area.

Albayalde has instructed Eastern Visayas director Chief Supt Mariel Magaway to facilitate the processing and speedy release of all benefits due to the families of the victims, Durana said. /vvp