Cooperate to avoid raps, shootout cops told

MANILA, Philippines - The police and military personnel involved in the controversial Quezon shootout stand a chance to be spared from charges if they cooperate with the investigation and possibly turn state witness, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday.

De Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is expecting more significant developments that would help strengthen its case against those behind the killing of 13 men at a checkpoint on the boundary of Atimonan and Plaridel towns last Jan. 6.

This developed as newly installed Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona vowed to fully cooperate and support the investigation in order to ferret out the truth.

Estipona, former chief of the Southern Police District, yesterday officially assumed the post vacated by Chief Superintendent James Melad, who was ordered relieved along with 23 other police officers over the Atimonan incident and the subsequent killing of a former aide of slain jueteng lord Vic Siman in Batangas.

“We’re giving them a chance to cooperate and possibly be considered state witnesses. I’m directing such appeal to the enlisted men or the lower-ranked operatives involved in the operations. We assure them of their safety,” De Lima told reporters.

She said she is hoping the security forces – particularly the enlisted men – would  “genuinely cooperate and speak out the truth.”

“If that happens, the government assures him or them, as the case may be, of their safety and proper treatment,” she vowed.

De Lima issued the “ultimatum” after the police and military officers summoned to the NBI headquarters last Friday insisted that the incident was a legitimate shootout – a claim she earlier dismissed after talking to two civilian eyewitnesses who aided probers in the reenactment of the encounter last week.

She said the two eyewitnesses, who were on board a truck a few meters behind the victims’ vehicles, effectively debunked the claims of Superintendent Hansel Marantan, the head of the joint police-military contingent, that Siman’s group fired the first shot at the checkpoint, triggering the supposed firefight.

She hinted that charges await Marantan and the members of his team, saying she expects a preliminary investigation and possible trial against them.

The justice chief was earlier criticized for prejudging the incident, making statements even the before the NBI could get the statement of the members of the joint police and military team.

De Lima said the NBI has yet to finish its report on the investigation, and did not give a specific date of completion.

But, a source privy to the investigation told The STAR that charges are set to be filed next week against those responsible for the Quezon bloodbath. He did not elaborate.

The source, who requested anonymity, said the probers would try to meet the deadline, which is tomorrow, to complete the report, and for it to be submitted immediately to President Aquino.

“We will start anew,” said Estipona, who admitted that the Atimonan incident had brought down the morale of Calabarzon policemen.

He said he would work hard to bring back the trust and confidence of the residents of Southern Tagalog in the local police and gave assurance that there would be “Serbisyong Makatotohanan.”

Prior to his new assignment, Estipona, a mistah of PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class ’81, was director of the Southern Police District (SPD).

Purisima, for his part, considered the Atimonan encounter as “more of a blessing” because, according to him, it gave reason to address the dysfunction of the PNP and would enable them to easily implement reforms in the organization.

The PNP chief said he has initiated plans to dissolve the counter-intelligence unit under the Intelligence Group (IG) because it is not performing its job.

Earlier, De Lima said the NBI intended to submit the report to President Aquino before he leaves for Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday to attend the World Economic Forum.

The justice chief said she had spoken with the President yesterday and he told her not to rush the report because he doesn’t want it “half-baked.” She said the report could be submitted when the President returns from Davos.

“In the meantime, we have no additional information or facts to share with you because it would be anti-climactic if we would release the report prematurely,” she said.

The same source also gave out a sketch of the Atimonan incident submitted by the military to the NBI special probe team.

The sketch showed that the first of two Montero sport utility vehicles bearing the 13 men was sprayed with bullets at the front and right side. The second SUV, closely trailing behind the first, was fired upon at the right side.

The STAR source said the sketch showed no shots were fired from the two SUVs, which were both on the left lane of the road. The checkpoint was on the right lane.

It also showed two unmarked vehicles, apparently from the military, and five marked police vehicles parked at the roadside across the victims’ SUVs.

The source expressed doubts on the statement of the police and military contingent that the incident was a shootout because their vehicles were apparently not hit in the exchange of fire.

“If these vehicles sustained bullet marks, these should have been submitted as evidence,” the source said. – Non Alquitran, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Mike Frialde, Sandy Araneta, Ed Amoroso