22 policemen facing charges in Atimonan shootout under restrictive custody -- PNP

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 24): 22 policemen facing charges in Atimonan shootout under restrictive custody -- PNP

At least 22 policemen, including two officials, were placed under restrictive custody and now facing administrative charges due to the shooting incident in Atimonan, Quezon province that killed 13 people last Jan. 6. This was revealed by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima on Thursday.

In a press conference, Purisima said two officials -- Sr. Supt. Valeriano de Leon, former police chief of Quezon province; and Chief Supt. James Melad, former Calabarzon regional police office director -- and the Atimonan policemen are included in the administrative charges and placed in restrictive custody at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City during the pendency of the case.

Also under restrictive custody are P/Supt Hansel Marantan, P/Supt. Ramon Balauag, Police Inspector Grant Gollod, Police Senior Inspector John Paulo Carracedo, Police Inspector Timoteo Orig, Police Inspector Ferdinand Aguilar, Police Inspector Evaristo San Juan, SPO3 Joselito Q. De Guzman, SPO1 Claro L. Cataquiz Jr., SPO1 Arturo Comia Sarmiento, PO3 Eduardo L. Oronan, PO2 Nelson P. Indal, PO2 Al Bhazar K. Jailani, PO1 Wryan B. Sardea, PO1 Rodel Talento, PO3 Benedict Dimayuga, PO1 Allen C. Ayobo, PO1 Esperidion L. De Leon, PO2 Ronnie Serdena, and PO2 Esperidion Corpuz.

Purisima said the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) investigation report concluded that there were four operational lapses committed by the 22 police officers during the Atimonan shootout. "I have approved the recommendation of PNP's Internal Affairs Service on those charged PNP personnel who took part in the Atimonan case that they be in restrictive custody here in Camp Crame during the pendency of the case against them," Purisima said.

Purisima said the violations were on jurisdiction, prescribed uniform, composition, and marked vehicles. On the jurisdiction aspect, Purisima said that the first checkpoint was conducted in Plaridel, Quezon but manned by Atimonan police officers. “Ang ginamit po ng mga pulis dun sa checkpoint nila ay police Atimonan where in fact the place where the first checkpoint happened was in Plaridel, Quezon so meron ng violation ng jurisdiction,” Purisima explained.

The officers, he said, were also not in their prescribed uniform and were not able to comply with the required number of policemen in a checkpoint. Purisima added there was also an absence of marked vehicles at the second checkpoint.

Purisima said the police personnel have been placed in restrictive custody to make them available for the ongoing investigation of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The PNP chief said that charges against them is based on the violations of the police operational procedures while other charges will likely come in, based on the result of the investigation of the NBI.

The investigation will be finished within the 90-day period that will officially start as soon as the directorate for personnel records and management handles the case and is expected to create a summary hearing body.

According to PNP internal affairs service chief, Police Director Alexander Roldan, the accused may be booted out from the service, depending on the result of their investigation. The charges against the police personnel stemmed from the violations of the police operational procedure in setting up the second checkpoint in Atimonan, Quezon.

Purisima also approved the recommendation of the Internal Affairs Service to secure presidential clearance for the conduct of pre-charge investigation against Sr. Supt. De Leon and Melad under the principle of command responsibility. “The Atimonan incident may have placed the entire police organization in bad light but we take it as an opportunity for us to aggressively push for the necessary reform programs to give the Filipino the best service and protection they deserve from the Philippine National Police,” he said.

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