PNP cites 'self-preservation' in defending bloody Calabarzon crackdown

The Philippine National Police (PNP) cited the principle of self-preservation in defending its operations that resulted in the deaths of nine activists in Calabarzon on Sunday.

PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana told GMA News Online in a text message that the police did not want any encounter with the personalities in serving the search warrants.

"The police didn’t want any encounter with anyone subject of search warrants. We had 16 arrests in fact. It implies caution on both sides. But there was resistance by some in the serving of warrants," he said.

"The nine who died fought it out with the police. And there is nothing the police could do but to respond under the principle of self-preservation," Usana added.

According to the police, the fatalities were “communist-terrorists,” and that firearms were recovered from them.

Groups like Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, however, said the victims were "legal activists" and linked the killings to President Rodrigo Duterte's order to neutralize communist rebels last week.

Six of the fatalities were reported in Rizal, two in Batangas, and  one in Cavite, according to the police.

Apart from those killed, six were arrested in the operations, according to the police.

On Monday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government will look into the deaths of the nine activists. The investigation, he said, will be headed by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

Vice President Leni Robredo has described the incident as a "massacre."

The Commission on Human Rights has already launched an investigation into the matter. —KBK, GMA News