NPA ‘sparrow unit’ is long gone —PNP

On the heels of President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement that he wanted to form a death squad to counter the communist rebels' Sparrow Unit, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Saturday said the infamous hit squad of the New People's Army (NPA) is no longer existing.

"Sa ngayon wala tayong namo-monitor. Merong mga incidents for the past three years ay may mga killings na naitala, 136... Pero monitored po 'yan at talagang matagal nang wala ang Sparrow Unit," Albayalde said in an interview on SuperRadyo dzBB.

On Tuesday, Duterte said he wanted to form a "Duterte Death Squad" that “will match the talent" of the NPA’s Sparrow units, with the President even warning that suspected NPA members will be gunned down.

Asked what compelled the President to make such an announcement, the top cop said Duterte has his own sources of information on the supposed whereabouts of the Reds' hit squad.

But he noted that the recent series of encounters of military and police personnel with the NPA, such as the Sagay massacre, may have prompted Duterte to give the order.

"Sa Bicol 'yung pag-ambush sa AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines]. Sa Samar 'yung na-overrun 'yung police station... Ito 'yung nag-trigger most probably para magbigay ng kautusan ang ating Pangulo," Albayalde said.

The PNP chief, however, clarified that so far no official directive has been given by Malacañang on the formation of the Duterte Death Squad.

"Nag-uusap na kami ng AFP kung talagang matutuloy po 'yan. Kailangan namin mapag-usapan kung papaano po ang pagbuo ng grupo na ganyan, kung 'yan ba ay mga sundalo o PNP," Albayalde said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday backed Duterte's plan to have a death squad unit and said this should be composed of soldiers and should not fire at will.

Rights groups however raised fears, saying it would worsen the "calamity" triggered by Duterte's deadly drug war.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo however said Duterte's plan remains to be an "idea."

Panelo said while Duterte was serious about the plan, details about its possible implementation would still have to be threshed out by the Department of National Defense. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News