Bato standing by regularity of Biñan operation that left 3 suspects dead

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Thursday said he is standing by on the regularity of Wednesday's police operation in Biñan, Laguna, where three suspected kidnappers were killed.

This, despite a CCTV footage that seems to belie the police's claim that the three suspects were killed in a shootout, which occurred after the kidnap victim was rescued.

"Whether or not 'yung sinasabi mo ay totoo na may indications na pinatay sila, then that remains to be seen. As of yet, I believe in the regularity of the performance of duty of my personnel," Dela Rosa said in a press conference in Ozamiz City.

He said the Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police will automatically conduct an investigation on the incident.

"Automatic ‘yan, may mag-imbestiga na IAS after the incident. Malalaman natin 'yan later," Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa said he was "happy" that the kidnap victim, an Indian national, was rescued and that the suspects were killed instead of the police.

"Sa akin naman personally, I am happy that the kidnap victim was rescued alive and 'yung mga kidnapper ang napatay, hindi 'yung kidnap victim o 'yung mga pulis. For me, that is good enough," he said.

The operation was conducted by the Anti-Kidnapping Group of the PNP following information shared by the family of the rescued kidnap victim. —KBK, GMA News