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Albayalde relieves 2 police officials over Samar ‘misencounter’


Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday said he has relieved two officials following the misencounter between Army troops and police operatives in Samar.

Superintendent Glen Oliver Cinco, officer-in-charge of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 8 and Chief Inspector Don Archie Suspeñe, commander of the 805th Mobile Company, RMFB 8 have been relieved from their posts to give way to an impartial investigation.

Suspeñe led the operating elements of the police force who were conducting minor combat operations on Monday at around 9:27 a.m. when they were fired upon by elements of the Philippine Army's 87th Infantry Battalion at Sitio Lunoy, Barangay San Roque in Santa Rita, Samar.

The six policemen killed in the encounter were identified as Police Officer 1 Wyndell Noromor, PO1 Edwin Ebrado, PO1 Phil Rey Mendigo, PO1 Julius Suarez, PO1 Rowell Reyes, and PO1 Julie Escalo.

The nine wounded policemen, meanwhile, were identified as PO1 Elmer Pan, PO1 Cris Angelo Pialago, PO1 Romulo Cordero, PO1 Joenel Gonzaga, PO1 Rey Barbosa, PO1 Roden Goden, PO1 Jaime Galoy, PO1 Romel Bagunas, and PO1 Janmark Adonis.

The slain police personnel were supposed to head toward Sitio Canunayan in Barangay Rosal when the 20-minute gunfight occurred.

Army troopers allegedly fired upon the police operatives first after they mistakenly identified as communist insurgents.

A Special Investigation Task Group has already been formed to investigate the incident.

The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, has also formed its own board of inquiry led by the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Visayas. — BAP, GMA News

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