Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 10) — The Philippine National Police will look into a viral video of a police officer planting a gun beside the body of an alleged drug suspect in a buy-bust operation in Bukidnon.
“We will investigate that one. I will talk to the Public Information Office to investigate the matter,” PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sinas told reporters in a briefing on Wednesday.
Sinas was referring to the video which showed a plainclothes police officer firing a gun three times, before putting it beside the body the slain drug suspect.
In a report by GMA News Online, the cop was identified as Police Corporal Benzon Gonzales, while the suspect was named Pol Estañol, who allegedly fought it out with authorities before he was killed in a buy-bust operation on February 20.
CNN Philippines has requested further details on the matter from Sinas and PNP spokesperson Police Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana. Sinas said he will provide an update once he gets sufficient information.
Last month, Guevarra told the United Nations Human Rights Council that law enforcers “failed to follow standard protocols pertaining to coordination with other agencies and the processing of the crime scene” in anti-illegal drug operations.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the video, if properly authenticated, can be useful for the case. He added that the DOJ-led review panel will include this case in their investigation into deaths during drug operations
Guevarra formed an inter-agency review panel in June 2020 that looked into more than 5,600 anti-drug operations that resulted in deaths.
The DOJ report has also been forwarded to police officials. Sinas said they have begun internal investigations and recommended administrative and criminal actions.
“The video would be a very useful and relevant piece of evidence in determining where liability lies. So let’s wait and see how the PNP authorities would deal with this situation,” he said in a message to reporters on Wednesday. “The (DOJ) panel will certainly give special attention to this particular incident in Valencia City.”
