Chief of cop in alleged gun-planting video should explain incident, says PNP spox

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said the superior of the policeman who was caught on video firing a gun three times before placing it beside the body of a slain drug suspect should explain the incident.

In a text message to GMA News Online, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana said the policeman on the video could no longer give his side on the incident as he was killed in an accident days after the operation.

“He (policeman on video) could have been made to explain his side. The chief of police will just have to explain on what grounds did the policeman operate that caused the death of the alleged drug suspect,” Usana said.

The viral video shows Police Corporal Benzon Gonzales firing a gun three times before putting it beside the body of a slain drug suspect identified as Pol Estañol. The incident reportedly took place in Valencia City, Bukidnon, on February 20.

Estañol was killed after he allegedly fought it out with arresting policemen during a buy-bust operation.

Police Regional Office 10 spokesperson Police Captain Francisco Sabud said they will determine the authenticity of the viral video. He said Gonzales fired the gun out of frustration.

Usana said if proven that evidence was planted, the PNP will not condone the action of the policeman on the video, as he maintained that the organization values human rights and observes the rule of law.

“The PNP will never condone such act from that policeman,” he said. “We value human rights, we follow the rule of law, and we cannot allow any law enforcer to break the law he is expected to enforce.”

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has reported to the United Nations Human Rights Council that many of the weapons of the suspects killed in President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs have been left unexamined by authorities.

In his speech to the UNHRC in late February, Guevarra said that the inter-agency task group formed to look into the killings confirmed that many of the suspects resisted arrest or tried to draw their guns on government agents.

The PNP has formed a panel to look into the "essential issues" in its anti-drug operations that Guevarra raised before the UNHRC. --KBK, GMA News