MANILA, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office reiterated on Wednesday that the anti-drug war operation caught on CCTV camera and reported by Reuters is a legitimate police operation.
NCRPO Director Oscar Albayalde defended the Manila Police District, which conducted the operation, and said the officers already answered the allegations long before the video was released in a report. He said the MPD officers were with the barangay officials during the operation.
“Huling-huli na po itong paglabas ulit nitong Reuters na kung saan kung talagang in-alter po 'yan or kung talagang gustong itago ng ating pulis sa Manila Police District 'yan ay most probably hindi na po nila makuha 'yung kopya ng video na 'yan, kung talagang gusto nila pong itago 'yung operation na 'yan," Albayalde said in an interview with GMA-7’s Unang Balita.
On Monday, Reuters released an investigative report detailing an alleged drug operation carried out by members of the Manila police in Barangay 19 in Manila.
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Reuters also released video footage from four security cameras showing several policemen in the morning of Oct.11, 2017—a day after Duterte released a memo stripping the police of control over the drug war. The footage showed the summary execution of an alleged drug trafficker.
Albayalde said the PNP-Internal Affairs Service has an ongoing probe regarding the drug operation of MPD. He added that the investigation so far showed that there was no irregularity in the operation.
The NCRPO chief added that the drug suspects resisted during the operation.
“‘Yun pong issue nilang lumaban, sabi nga nila, meron po silang mga kasama na barangay officials na magpapatunay na talagang lumaban 'yung mga napatay at meron pong mga baril na na-recover diyan," Albayalde said, adding that the suspects were armed.
Albayalde said the police even recovered firearms during the operation.
Video of Reuters 'inconclusive,' MPD says
For its part, the MPD said the footage showing the supposed summary execution was incomplete.
“Hindi kita na may summary killings o sina-salvage ang mga suspek,” MPD Director Joel Napoleon Coronel said in an interview with dzMM.
“Inconclusive ang video,” he added.
Coronel said the suspects were notorious drug traffickers adding that the police operation was “high risk.”
Asked if the current issue on the MPD affects the possible return of the war on drugs to PNP, Albayalde said he does not think it has an effect.
Last October 11, President Rodrigo Duterte designated the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as the “sole agency” in charge of the war on drugs.