Atimonan operation had no approval - PAOCC chief

MANILA, Philippines - The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission did not approve the police operation that led to the death of 13 people in Atimonan, Quezon, PAOCC Executive Director Chief Supt. Reginald Villasanta said on Friday.

“We at PAOCC, through a board resolution, did not approve Case Operation Plan Armado (COPLAN Armado) submitted by Police Supt. Hansel Marantan, Police Supt. Glenn Dumlao and Chief Supt. James Melad,” he said.

Villasanta said he went to the National Bureau of Investigation “in the interest of shedding light into the events that led to the Atimonan incident” which killed an alleged jueteng operator, and members of the Army and the police.

He said the PAOCC board did not approve the operation because the proponents were not able to comply with requirements and that there were other cases in PAOCC that were considered priority.

“It is clear from the Resolution that the COPLAN was never approved by any official at the executive director’s level or higher,” Villasanta said.

"The COPLAN was not approved because it lacked the documentation required for us to properly assess the viability and feasibility of the operation, such as a memo directive or endorsement from the mother unit, timetable, and information we needed regarding the agents involved and the subjects of the investigation," he added.