10 Ormoc policemen in custody for botched drug raid

MANILA, Philippines - A police station commander in Ormoc City and his nine men have been placed under restrictive custody after a botched drug raid resulted in the death of three people and the wounding of six others on Tuesday.

Chief Inspector Edgardo Encina, his deputy, Senior Inspector Harris Rebato and eight other police non-commissioned officers have been placed under restrictive custody to ensure their availability during the investigation, said Ormoc City police chief Senior Superintendent Jose Macanas.

Macanas said Encina was replaced by Senior Inspector Rio Tan, who used to be the head of the Ormoc City public safety company.

Macanas said he has requested Eastern Visayas police director Chief Superintendent Henry Lonsanes to send a team of investigators to Ormoc City to look into the case.

“We don’t want the public to cast doubt on the integrity of the investigation.  So we requested the RIDD (regional investigation and detection division) to conduct the probe,” he said.

Under a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG), Macanas said investigators would analyze all the pieces of evidence, through scientific method or ballistics and paraffin examinations.

He said Encina and his team would face the consequences of their actions.

“If evidence warrant, they will have to face administrative and criminal cases.”

Macanas said officers who conduct police operations should consider all factors of the case particularly the safety of the police officers, the suspects and civilians, who might be caught in the situation.

He said the SITG is checking for possible lapses that resulted in the death of dentist Jay Movilla, 32; Wilfredo Alberto, and Sim Serrano, the subject of the drug bust. Five others were wounded in the incident.