The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered a comprehensive audit of an Iloilo City police station and a review of an operation conducted by the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) to determine whether police procedures were followed and civilians were treated appropriately.

PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) to conduct a full audit of the personnel, logbooks and intelligence files of Iloilo City Police Station 4. He also ordered a review of the IMEG's handling of civilian witnesses during the 1 July operation.

"We are conducting a thorough and impartial investigation into the reported incident at the Iloilo police station. If any operative is found to have compromised civilian safety or exceeded their authority, we will ensure that accountability is swift and follows due process," Nartatez said.

According to the initial investigation, IMEG operatives conducted an operation at Iloilo City Police Station 4 in Molo to locate a dismissed police officer wanted in a murder case.

During the operation, IMEG personnel allegedly disarmed station personnel, ordered them to lie on the floor, confiscated their mobile phones and pointed firearms at civilians serving as witnesses in an ongoing buy-bust operation.

The target of the operation was not found at the station.

The dismissed police officer later surrendered to PRO-6 on 5 July to face the charges against him. He turned over his issued 9mm pistol and is now under police custody at Iloilo City Police Station 6.

Nartatez also directed PRO-6 to validate intelligence reports alleging that the dismissed police officer had been frequenting Police Station 4 and was being used in police operations despite his dismissal from the service.

"We do not tolerate any station harboring or utilizing rogue elements, and those reports are being validated with the utmost seriousness," he said.

The PNP chief said the investigation is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to intensify the PNP's internal cleansing program while ensuring that all police operations are conducted within the bounds of the law.