President Rodrigo Duterte was sad and concerned about the shooting incident that occurred between Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents and police officers, Palace spokesperson Harry Roque said.
Roque said at a press conference that Duterte vowed that justice would be served following the alleged “misencounter” wherein at least three individuals died.
“The President, of course, expressed both sadness and concern bakit nangyari nga ito na kapwa tao ng gobyerno ay nagkaputukan,” Roque said.
“Ang in-assure niya, gaya ng nangyari sa Sulu, ay we will get to the bottom of this incident, magkakaroon po ng partial investigation at justice will be done,” he added.
It is not yet clear how PDEA personnel were involved in the encounter, but the DSOU team leader was among those injured and taken to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct its own investigation into the “misencounter” between the agents and Quezon City cops.
According to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, he has ordered NBI to “conduct a parallel investigation” on the shooting incident.
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Duterte sad, concerned over ‘misencounter’ between PDEA, cops
“I have ordered the NBI to conduct a parallel investigation on the alleged misencounter this evening between PNP anti-illegal drug operatives and PDEA agents at Commonwealth Avenue,” he said in a statement released early Thursday.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Police Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said two police officers died in the incident, while another cop is in critical condition.
Danao added three PDEA agents were also wounded in the encounter.
The third fatality was recovered from a white van reportedly belonging to PDEA agents past 1 a.m. Thursday.
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said a joint PNP-PDEA team would be created to look into the shooting incident.
“The PNP and PDEA both agree and assure the public that the incident, while serious, will in no way affect the continuing operational relationship and coordinations they have long firmed up in the fight against illegal drugs,” he said.