PNP relieves cops who ‘left behind’ PDEA agents before ambush

PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde holds a regular Monday press briefing at Camp Crame on October 8, 2018. Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net

The police escorts who allegedly left behind the agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) before they were ambushed in Lanao Del Sur have been relieved from their posts and are now being investigated, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said on Monday.

Albayalde said this after PDEA Chief Director General Aaron Aquino disclosed that the police escorts had “suspicious moves” before the ambush.

Aquino said that before the encounter, the vehicle of the police rushed ahead of the PDEA agents without any coordination.

READ: 5 PDEA agents killed, 2 others injured in Lanao del Sur ambush

“Nasa likod sila eh, initially nakabuntot lang, tapos biglang before the ambush biglang rumatrat ‘yung vehicle nila. Hindi na nila (PDEA agents) nakita. Basta nauna na lang and then [after] a few minutes, biglang in-ambush yung tropa ko,” he told dzMM on Monday.

(They were behind, they were just tailing the PDEA agents, and then before the ambush, their vehicle suddenly rushed ahead. The PDEA agents did not see them. They just went ahead and then after a few minutes, the troops were ambushed.)

The relieved police officers are Police Inspector Judith Ambong, SPO2 Mohammad Malma, PO3 Benjie Albellera, PO3 Abdulwab Amondi, and PO1 Saminoden Pidapan, according to PNP Spokesperson Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr.

The police officers have also been disarmed, Albayalde said.

Albayalde, however, said that the regional police cannot confirm yet if the escorts had intentionally left the PDEA agents.

READ: Gov’t slams ‘cowardly’ killing of PDEA agents in Lanao del Sur

But he confirmed that the police escorts had overtaken the agents along the road, and explained that they cannot immediately respond to the encounter site since they were carrying short firearms.

Albayalde said he already gave instructions to the regional police to look into the case.

Meanwhile, Aquino said that they are looking at drug traders and politicians to be behind the attack. He said they already have names for the primary suspects.

Aquino said there were around 10 gunmen but they are also looking at 5 or 6 persons of interests, including some politicians. /je