NBI executive summary report on Atimonan incident points to 'rubout' -- Palace

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 6): NBI executive summary report on Atimonan incident points to 'rubout' -- Palace

Malacanang Wednesday said the Executive Summary report on the Atimonan incident submitted to President Benigno Aquino III pointed to a "rubout."

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a press briefing, said that page 50 of the Executive Summary report stated that "ultimately, the NBI probe reached the conclusion that no shootout occurred, thus, validating the initial result of the PNP (Philippine National Police) fact-finding committee."

"The probe findings also showed that the victims were summarily executed and all indications point to a rubout," the report further said.

Valte said this is the criminal liability of Supt. Hansel Marantan, deputy chief of the Calabarzon regional police intelligence group; Police Officer 2 Romy Cerdena, Police Insp. John Paolo V. Carracedo, SPO1 Arturo C. Sarmiento, James Andres Melad, and others.

"Meron po kasi mga PNP personnel who had directly participated in the operation," she said. President Aquino has directed the Dept. of Justice for the filing of charges against Marantan, Melad, and others involved in the Jan. 6 Atimonan shootout that killed 13 persons.

"The recommendation is for multiple murder charges," said Valte. The Palace official said the Executive Summary report was adopted in full by the Pesident. "So, lahat po ng conclusions noong NBI report ay sinang-ayunan po ng ating Pangulo," she noted. Police earlier said the gun battle between government forces and the 13 alleged members of a criminal group on board two vehicles occurred around 3 p.m., on Jan. 6, along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Lumutan in Atimonan, Quezon after the group opened fire at police and military officers manning a checkpoint.

Relatives of the slain victims and witnesses attested that it was a shootout. Marantan, however, insisted the shootout in Atimonan, Quezon was a legitimate police operation.

"From the very beginning, what the President said was 'we will find those responsible for this. If there is any culpability, then we will press charges.' Malinaw naman po ‘yung mensahe ng Pangulo. Aalamin natin kung ano ‘yung talagang nangyari sa likod nung insidente. Sino ‘yung may sala at kung meron tayong mahanap, kakasuhan natin sila dahil hindi naman pwedeng… especially if you are in uniform you cannot be the one to violate the laws," said Valte. "Marami po ‘yung ebidensyang nakita doon sa nakalap nung PNP fact-finding, pati din ho doon sa NBI investigation. Meron po silang mga witness accounts, yung documentary," she said.

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