President Rodrigo Duterte, with armed forces and police officials and Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, talks to one of nine policemen wounded in the Army-PNP “misencounter.” PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Rody takes blame for Samar ‘misencounter’

“I’d like to tell you that the ultimate blame was on me being the Commander-in-Chief because I am their leader.”

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is always on guard against internal threats, including from communist rebels, but it is also ready to accept those who want to go back to the fold of the law.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde stressed this yesterday as he accompanied President Rodrigo Duterte in Tacloban City to commiserate with the family of the policemen slain in the “misencounter” in Samar between Army and PNP elements.

The President, along with Albayalde, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez, Albayalde and Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, also visited the nine cops wounded from the encounter at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center.

“We always remind our commanders on the ground that their target is always there. Our kababayans (countrymen) know that our government is serious in extending peace to our brothers who are in the mountains. That’s why they are free to surrender,” added Albayalde.

Albayalde made the remark in response to a question how the PNP will react to reports that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP) has withdrawn from the peace talks with government.

The CPP on Saturday continued its verbal attack on the government, claiming Duterte would not finish his term.

“In less than two years, he has become isolated domestically and internationally. Thus, there is high probability that Duterte will not be able to complete his six-year term of office and will be forced out of Malacañang by way of a surge in anti-fascist protest actions or some other means,” a statement from the CPP said.

President Duterte marked on Saturday his second year in office.

In Palo, Leyte Friday night, Duterte took the blame for the Samar “misencounter.”

“I’d like to tell you that the ultimate blame was on me being the Commander-in-Chief because I am their leader. There was a lot of tragic stories around the incident,” Duterte told a crowd gathered at the Balyuan Amphitheater for the Sangyaw Festival Parade of Lights.

PO1 Julie Escalo’s wife Graciel, 29, was “overwhelmed” by the opportunity to personally express her sentiment to President Duterte beside her husband’s coffin.

“The President embraced me and assured us that he will support my children’s education,” said Graciel, who was holding her five-year-old son and one-year-old daughter.

Duterte gave P225,000 financial assistance to each family and placed on top of coffins the Order of Lapu-Lapu medal with a rank of Kalasag.

The President arrived at the PNP regional office around 5:25 p.m. and spoke to the families of the six slain policemen for 30 minutes.

Aside from Noromor and Escalo, also killed were P01 Edwin Ebrado, P01 Phil Rey Mendigo, P01 Julius Suarez and P01 Rowell Reyes.

Wounded were Police Officers 1 Elmer Pan, Cris Angelo Pialago, Romulo Cordero, Joenel Gonzaga, Rey Barbosa, Roden Goden, Jaime Galoy, Rommel Bagunas and Jonmark Adones.

Both policemen and soldiers were conducting simultaneous combat operations against the New People’s Army reportedly sighted in Pinabacdao and Sta. Rita towns when the “misencounter” erupted.

The 20-minute gun battle was stopped after soldiers got a call that they were exchanging fire with law enforcers.

The AFP and the PNP formed a board of inquiry to investigate the “misencounter.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (ID) has apologized for the incident.

In a letter issued Saturday, 8th ID commander Major Gen. Raul Farnacio vowed to help “expedite the conduct of the investigation so that the truth will be established and ease the burden of sorrow of the bereaved families.”

“We will be objective and transparent to shed light on the incident and will make appropriate actions thereafter to those who will be proven to have committed any lapses or violated established rules and regulations,” Farnacio said.