Palace asks DILG to stop word war between Pasig police, wounded Tribune reporter

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang will ask Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to do something about the Eastern Police District’s (EPD) continued tirade against a Daily Tribune reporter who was critically wounded after being shot seven times near his home in Pasig City early this month.

“This is something that we will have to coordinate again with Secretary Robredo to see what can be done,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in reaction to the EPD’s contention that Tribune reporter Fernan Angeles was involved in illegal drugs and that Palace reporters should verify its information on Angeles.

Robredo earlier ordered the EPD to focus its investigation on Angeles’ assailants rather than on the reporter’s background.

Last week, Angeles disclosed that he was shot several hours after he alerted the EPD director, Chief Superintendent Francisco Manalo, on the arrest of an alleged drug dealer and the involvement of some Pasig City policemen here.

The alleged drug dealer Faisal Sancopan surrendered to police last week and had been charged with frustrated murder.

“We have consistently supported the statement of Secretary Robredo that there should be a concentration on finding the assailants,” Valte said on government radio dzRB.

“Even President Aquino said that we are expecting movements from this and that the EPD, whatever their involvement here, they should really focus on solving the case at hand,” she said.