Top cops relieved over ‘misencounter’

Two police officials were ordered relieved in the aftermath of the “misencounter” between Army troops and police operatives in Samar last Monday, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said yesterday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also ordered the disarming of all members of the 87th IB involved in the “misencounter.”

Relieved were Supt. Glen Oliver Cinco, officer in charge of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) and Chief Insp. Don Archie Suspene, Commander of the 805th Regional Mobile Company (CRMC).

Albayalde issued the order to give way to an impartial investigation of Monday’s misencounter in Sitio Lunoy, Barangay San Roque, Sta. Rita town that resulted in the killing of six policemen of the 805th RMC.

Nine other 805th RMC men were wounded after clashing with elements of the Army’s 87th Infantry Battalion (IB).

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff officer if warranted after the investigation by a Board of Inquiry (BoI).

“If we determine that there were lapses…justice will be done, that is what we promised…if we find that there were lapses on the part of the commander, then we will (order his relief),” Galvez said.

The AFP asked the public to refrain from making speculations while a joint Department of National Defense (DND)-Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) body investigates the misencounter.

The incident lasted for about 20 minutes and also resulted in nine other policemen being wounded.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. stressed the need to strictly observe the protocols of the BoI created to look deeper into the accidental skirmish between elements of the Army’s 87th Infantry Battalion (IB) and 805th Regional Mobile Company in Sta. Rita town.

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the tragic misencounter resulted in “meaningless” deaths as he cited reports the firefight reportedly happened due to lack of coordination and communication between the troops.

“It is indeed unfortunate since it was not the first time it happened. Aside from the meaningless loss of human lives, government resources have been unnecessarily wasted in the recruitment and training of the PNP personnel concerned,” Lacson said.