Joint panel to summon PNP and AFP execs over Samar misencounter

The joint panel of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of National Defense (DND) will summon uniformed officials to explain the bloody misencounter between the police and military in Samar, Interior Officer-in-Charge Sec. Eduardo M. Año said Tuesday.

Año said the joint DILG-DND Board of Inquiry (BOI) would let police and military officials explain why prior communication and coordination were not made between forces conducting operations in the area.

“This is a very unfortunate event that nobody wanted to happen. Together with the DND, we will form a board of inquiry to investigate the incident in order to determine the cause of this unfortunate event and draw up measures to prevent the same from happening again,” Año said in a statement.

“There are existing protocols between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in field operations. We will try to determine why these were not followed and if these need review and modifications,” he added.

Six members of the PNP’s 805th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 were killed while nine others were wounded after being ambushed by members of the 87th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

Both groups were conducting simultaneous combat operations in Sta. Rita and Villareal towns.

“We are really very saddened by this incident as both troops were just doing their jobs of going against lawless elements and protecting the community,” Año said. He assured families of the slain policemen of the immediate release of financial assistance due them under the Comprehensive Social Benefits Program (CBSP).

Under the CBSP, those killed in action (KIA) will receive P500,000 while those wounded in action (WIA) or wounded in police operation (WIPO) with total permanent physical disability (TPPD) will receive P250,000. Those WIA/WIPO with major and minor injuries will receive P100,000.

The families of KIA/WIPO and WIA/WIPO with TPPD will also receive shelter assistance worth P450,000; health care assistance through coverage of premiums from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation worth P2,400 per year; and maintenance medicines provided by the Department of Health for qualified beneficiaries of KIA/KIPO personnel; and educational assistance in the provision of annual stipends for up to two children or other beneficiaries of KIA/KIPO and WIA/WIPO with TPPD.  /muf