Drug rings ‘toyed’ with PNP, PDEA? Too early to say but possible, says Villanueva

MANILA, Philippines — While it is too early to say whether or not the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) were toyed by drug syndicates in the “misencounter” in Quezon City, it is a possibility, PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said Thursday.

In a press briefing, Villanueva said drug syndicates have already studied the operations and techniques of the PNP and PDEA.

Villanueva made the remark a day after a shooting incident between the operatives of PNP and PDEA during a drug operation—an incident that authorities have dubbed as a “misencounter.”

“These syndicates are talagang aral na ng husto yan. Kaya sinasabi ko nga, alam na nila ang modus na ginagawa, ang technique ng both PNP and PDEA as far as kung saan ang buy-bust area,” Villanueva said.

(These drug syndicates really learned some lessons well. That is why I am saying, they know the modus that is happening, the technique of both the PNP and PDEA on where the buy-bust area.)

Villanueva was then asked if it is possible that the PDEA and PNP were toyed by the drug syndicates that resulted in the shooting incident.

“Before napag-laruan na kami… Dito, hindi pa namin pwedeng sabihin naglaro sila dito sa amin. Kaya ini-imbestigahan namin ito,” Villanueva said.

(Before it has happened already… Here, we can’t say if they did toy with us. That is why we are investigating.)

“Masyadong maaga para sabihin nating pinaglaruan agad tayo pero possible na pinag-laruan tayo. Pero yoon ang focus of this investigation. Lahat na ng aspect yan, on the rules of engagement, on proper coordination… Maraming dapat manage,” he added.

(It is still too early to say that we were toyed. But that is the focus of the investigation. All of the aspect, on the rules of engagement, on proper coordination… there are a lot to be managed.)

In their joint statement, the PNP and PDEA have appealed to the public to “let the investigation take its course first” before making unfounded and baseless claims about the shooting incident.

PNP spokesman Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana has, likewise, said that a board of inquiry has been tasked to determine what happened and who should be liable.

The National Bureau of Investigation will likewise conduct its own probe on the incident, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

JPV