Roque: No presumption of regularity when suspects die in police ops

Rep. Harry Roque (File photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

There is no presumption of regularity in the Philippine National Police’s operations when it results in the deaths of suspects, according to Kabayan Party-list Rep. Harry Roque.

Roque cited no less than the police force’s own rules in saying such deaths should be property investigated through an inquest proceeding to determine if there is foul play.

In a Tuesday statement, he said doubts on the legality of the killings arising from the Sunday raid on the Parojinog clan should be resolved through an “impartial investigation to be carried out by the Department of Justice.”

He said Chapter 3, Rule 15.4 (Inquest Proceeding Necessary When the Suspect Dies) of the Revised PNP Operational Procedures provided that the team leader of the operating unit should submit the incident before the duty inquest prosecutor.

This should be done “prior to the removal of the body from the scene.” The exception is when the armed confrontation occurs in areas where there is no inquest prosecutor; in which case, the territorial police unit can proceed with the investigation.

“I expect PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa to order the PNP chain of command to enforce the strict observance of the provisions of the PNP-OP, as this is the police Bible for any and all police operations,” said Roque. JE