The Department of Justice (DOJ) will file a case against three personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and four policemen in connection with the “misencounter” on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, in 2021 that killed four people.
According to the DOJ briefer, homicide charges will be filed against PDEA agents and direct assault charges against Philippine National Police personnel.
PNP and PDEA operatives clashed in front of a fast-food chain on Commonwealth Avenue in February 2021. Both operatives said they had a legitimate anti-drug operation in the area.
This resulted in the deaths of two police officers, a PDEA agent, and an informant.
The defendants in the PDEA are Khee Maricar Rodas, Jelou Satiniaman, and Jeffrey Baguidudol for the death of Police Corporal Eric Elvin Gerado.
“After evaluation of the evidence, the Panel of Prosecutors found sufficient evidence to charge respondents PDEA agents Rodas, Baguidudol, and Satiniaman for homicide,” according to the DOJ briefer.
Police Corporal Paul Christian Ganzeda, Police Corporal Honey Besas, Police Major Sandie Caparroso, and Police Major Melvin Merida will face direct assault charges.
“With respect to the injuries sustained by PDEA responders, there is sufficient evidence identifying some police officers who actually hit, strike, and maul them,” it added.
3 PDEA agents, 4 policemen to face charges for 2021 ‘misencounter’
The complaint will be filed in the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
Two homicide complaints were dismissed for lack of evidence.
According to the DOJ, the complaint against agent Romeo Asuncion was dismissed because the gun used in the death of Police Corporal Lauro De Guzman was not identified.
The DOJ added that the bullet casings also did not match Asuncion’s gun found at the encounter scene.
The case against Police Corporal Alvin Borja was also dismissed, as “there is also no record showing that Police Corporal Borja was the only one who actually shot at Gano.”
Complaints of attempted homicide, falsification of the official document, robbery, conniving to or consenting to evasion, arbitrary detention, sedition, and violation of the anti-torture act were also dismissed for lack of evidence.
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