Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 19)— Police officers involved in an anti-drug operation that left two people — including a minor — dead in Laguna have been placed under restrictive custody.
“Bilang agarang aksyon habang isinasagawa ang imbestigasyon, aking iniutos, lahat ng mga pulis na kasali sa operation ay under restrictive custody na,” Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar said on Saturday.
[Translation: As immediate action while investigation is ongoing, upon my order, all policemen involved in that operation are now under restrictive custody.]
Eleazar has ordered the Calabarzon regional police and the PNP Internal Affairs Service to expedite the investigation on the case. He also encouraged witnesses and the victims’ families to provide statements in order to shed light on the incident.
Police operatives earlier claimed the victims fought back while being served an arrest warrant for drug charges. But the family of the 16-year-old boy said the victims were shot while lying face down and handcuffed.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said it will conduct an independent probe on the matter.
“We shall be conducting our own independent probe on this incident to pursue the truth behind the incident and, more importantly, in pursuit of justice should it be proven that a human rights violation was perpetrated by the police,” the agency said in a separate statement.
Eleazar welcomed the CHR’s move, and vowed that the PNP would fully cooperate.
