THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday welcomes the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that no shootout had taken placed in Atimonan, Quezon last January 6.
The NBI is the sole agency that was task by President Aquino to conduct an investigation over the shooting incident in Atimonan, Quezon were 13 people killed, including police and military personnel.
PNP spokesman, Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr., said they accept the findings made and were committed to support the NBI’s investigation of what is now being dubbed as Atimonan 13.
“We are ready to accept the findings of the NBI and we will commit our support to their investigation of the incident in Atimonant,” Cerbo told reporters in a press briefing in Camp Crame.
The PNP spokesman said policemen involved in the shooting incident have already been administratively relieved from their post, including Supt. Hansel Marantan, the police officer who led the group of policemen.
Aside from Marantan, Chief Supt. James Melad, the former director of the Southern Tagalog Regional Police Office has been relieved from his post in the aftermath of the Atimonan shooting.
“They have been administratively relieved and will wait for the final result and their next step… we will subscribe to their recommendation as to the criminal aspect of the case,” Cerbo said.
The PNP spokesman said earlier that Marantan’s continued refusal to cooperate in the ongoing investigation by the PNP and NBI over the said incident is tantamount to ‘obstruction’ of justice.
“The PNP is looking for administrative case and they are studying the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Police Operation Procedure (POP) in relation to the said incident,” Cerbo said.
Two witnesses surfaced at the NBI and described that there was no shootout that took place and recounted on the incident in Atimonan, Quezon was more of a set-up rather than a shootout.