A video of a policeman dressed as a civilian who took and fired a gun, then placed near a slain drug suspect after a buy-bust operation, is now spreading on Facebook.
The viral video happened in Purok 4, Barangay Batangan, Valencia City, Bukidnon.
The police officer was identified as Benzoin Gonzalez.
According to the police, the suspect, Pol Lopez Estañol, allegedly fought the cops. He also said that Gonzalez’s firing was not part of the pre-operation briefing.
“Pakiusap natin sa community, na patuloy na lang yung suporta nila sa kanilang PNP kasi isolated cases lang ito, may pasaway talaga na mga kasamahan natin, pero hindi lahat,” said Police Capt. Francisco Sabud, Jr., spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO) 10.
Apart from the investigation conducted by PRO 10, Camp Crame will also investigate the said operation.
PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas admitted that the report has not reached him yet.
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“We will investigate on that. Hindi ko po alam yan. I will talk with my PIO to give update on that matter,” he said.
Human Rights Watch, which continues to monitor the Duterte administration’s “drug war,” does not believe that the alleged gun-planting in Bukidnon is an isolated case.
“Kitang kita dito yung matagal nang sinasabi ng mga biktima, matagal nang sinasabi ng mga witnesses at ng mga human rights defenders na ganito yung nangyayari, at hindi totoong isolated incident ito, hindi isolated itong pagpa-plant ng evidence saka mga drugs sa mga napatay ng pulis kasi marami nang nangyayaring ganito,” said RW senior researcher Carlos Conde.
According to HRW World Report 2021, the human rights situation in the country worsened in 2020.
In the first 4 months of the lockdowns, drug war-related killings allegedly did not subside and increased by 50 percent.
“Kaya siya lumala dahil itong mga target ng drug war ay nakakulong dahil sa lockdown, madali silang targetin; yun ang isang plausible explanation sa pagtaas nung period na yun,” said Conde.
He also said that HRW has no confidence in the PNP’s investigation.
According to the Department of Justice, the EJK panel they are leading will review the alleged gun-planting video.