DND to scrutinize PRRD plan to form anti-SPARU unit

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 28): DND to scrutinize PRRD plan to form anti-SPARU unit

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday said they will study and look very closely on President Rodrigo Duterte's proposal to form a unit that will go after the communist rebels' "Special Partisan Unit" or (SPARU).

"We will study it very closely. Who will compose it, who will supervise it, who will be the targets? Who will be accountable? Because there is great danger of abuse or mistakes in these undercover operations," he said in a message to reporters.

When asked to expound on the mistakes, the DND chief said he was referring to misidentification of targets.

"Mistakes in identifying their targets. Baka kamukha lang o ininguso ng ibang tao (he or she might only look similar to the target or was just wrongly tagged). One way to prevent this is for someone higher up to give the go signal after careful and thorough vetting. Dapat walang blanket authority yung mga operatives. (Operatives should not have blanket authority on the matter)," Lorenzana stressed.

Earlier, Duterte mulled the creation of the unit to go after SPARU members, who are known for assassinating people.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde said he is still to receive instructions from the President regarding the matter.

"Wala pang (there is still no) specific guidance dyan (on that)," he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1055172