PNP readies wish list for US help on murders

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has completed its "wish list" of assistance it would request from the US government to help speed up the resolution of unexplained killings in the country.

Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr., PNP Deputy Chief for Administration, left on Tuesday night for Washington DC to meet with the Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Willy Gaa, who would present Task Force Usig reports on the killings of militants and journalists before a US congressional inquiry.

"This is an opportunity to explain these cases to the US Senate so they will see what is really happening here in the Philippines," Razon said earlier.

"We have nothing to hide, we will show them the discrepancy in the data presented by leftist human rights organizations, and some facts that will show the involvement of the local communist movement," he added.

PNP Task Force Usig director Chief Superintendent Geary Barias said the committee has submitted to the US Embassy the PNP "wish list," which include trainings for investigators and some technical equipment needed in the investigations.

"We are asking for trainings for our personnel and possibly additional equipment like the AFIS (Automated Fingerprints Identification System), ballistics, and computers," said Barias, who is concurrent chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM). "Hopefully it will be approved."