Abante: NBI probe results on PNP-PDEA shootout first before House inquiry

For Deputy Speaker Bienvenido Abante Jr.,  the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should finish its investigation first before the House starts its inquiry into the deadly shootout between Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents and cops from the Quezon City Police Department.

At a forum on Wednesday, Abante agreed with President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to put on hold congressional inquiries while the NBI is completing its investigation.

“Legislative inquiries will always benefit from more accurate and reliable information, and we are hopeful that the NBI can obtain these so we can have a more productive inquiry into the shootout,” he said.

“Having a third party look into the incident will, in my view, allow for an objective ascertainment and assessment of the facts and prevent a ‘he said, he said' scenario between the two agencies involved,” he added.

Earlier, Duterte asked Congress to delay its investigation into the PNP-PDEA shootout to allow NBI to do its probe first.

Abante said the investigation could improve the operation of the two law enforcement agencies.

“The investigation and succeeding inquiries…should pave the way for reforms and actions that will allow the PNP and PDEA to better execute their operations,” he said.

“This is important especially in light of the passage of HB 7814, or amendments to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, which the House approved on final reading last night,” he added.

For him, if the issues on their operation will still be ignored, there is already a culture of violence among the two agencies.

Review operations

Abante urged the leadership of PNP and PDEA to review their operations to avoid similar incidents.

“I urge the leadership of both the PNP and the PDEA to take a hard, long look at the conduct of their operations and identify the lapses and issues that may occur in their anti-drug operations,” he said.

“These should be addressed because when our own men are felled by friendly fire, that means the real criminals have literally and figuratively dodged bullets meant for them,” he added.

In his privilege speech during Wednesday's session, Abante said it is time for the PNP and PDEA to be proactive, to take the initiative, and to consider instituting reforms to prevent senseless deaths.

“For each day that passes without action on their part is another day faith and confidence in law enforcement is eroded,” he said.

Abante also said the public could not turn a blind eye on what appears to be a growing culture of violence and death in the police force.

Last week, elements of the QCPD and PDEA engaged in a shootout in front of a fast food chain along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. Both agencies said they were conducting buy-bust operations at the time.

According to PDEA, at least four people were killed in the shootout, including two policemen, a PDEA agent, and an informant. — RSJ, GMA News