Aglipay defends police assault on Camp Bagong Diwa

Retired General Edgardo Aglipay, former national police chief, on Thursday defended the assault conducted by Philippine National Police (PNP) on the March 2005 Camp Bagong Diwa siege. Aglipay said the action was legal as it was considered self-defense considering that the inmates who started the stand-off were armed and hurting the other inmates. “Dapat ma-neutralize na sila (armed inmates) ... dapat gumawa ng paraan (ang mga officials concerned) dahil nananakit na. Kung hindi sila ma-prevent sa ibang paraan ang self-defense ng police ay shoot them," he said. He said he is ready to face the charges that will be filed and defend the action of the officials involved. He said the police officials had no recourse but to order an assault after the armed inmates allegedly refused to heed the negotiators who tried to calm them. Aglipay clarified he was no longer the PNP chief when the assault happened as he has to be relieved midnight before the incident to avoid questions on the legality of his stay in the post. He said his six months extension as the PNP chief ended on March 14. Prisoners at the Camp Bagong Diwa on March 15, 2005 allegedly staged a revolt which led to the stand-off and the death of more than 20 persons when police assaulted them. Aglipay also questioned the motive of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in opening the case saying an investigation was already conducted regarding the incident. CHR on Wednesday recommended the filing of multiple murder charges against Aglipay, former Interior secretary and now Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes, incumbent PNP Director General Arturo Lomibao. Wilhelm Soriano of the CHR said the killings of 23 persons, mostly Muslim inmates and leaders of the Abu Sayyaf group, in the 24-hour standoff between prisoners and policemen manning the Camp Bagong Diwa prison facility in Taguig was an “overkill." The CHR noted the PNP-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) used too much force during the assault. For his part, Deputy Director General Avelino Razon, Metro Manila police chief, condemned the CHR report describing it as inaccurate. He said the report should be supported with facts and interviews of those present during the siege. He said the PNP-SAF used necessary force when it assaulted the revolting inmates. He reminded that the inmates grabbed the firearms of the jail guards and shot them dead. He added there was a long negotiation before the police officials decided to order an assault.-GMANews.TV