BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – An intelligence officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Caraga region was slain in Agusan del Norte Wednesday night, and his family is seeking an independent probe into his death.
Citing their initial investigation, Chief Inspector Carlos Ometer, Cabadbaran City police chief, said PDEA intelligence officer II Louie Lloyd Giberson Jr., along with two to three PDEA colleagues, was on his way to Barangay Kauswagan in Cabadbaran City when his service vehicle was fired at.
But what confused police investigators was that while the side window of the PDEA vehicle was hit by bullets, Giberson’s gunshot wounds were on the front part of his body. Giberson died on spot with three bullet wounds.
PDEA-Caraga acting regional director Joel Plaza said he was saddened by Giberson’s death.
But Plaza could not give further details on the incident, saying he would not want to preempt the investigation.
When asked about allegations that Giberson was shot dead inside the vehicle and not ambushed as his PDEA colleagues narrated, Plaza said he could not comment on these.
Giberson’s father Louie, former chairman of Barangay Bayanihan in this city, has sought an independent investigation into his eldest son’s death.
The young Giberson was among the pioneering employees of the PDEA-Caraga regional office here when it opened in 2004.