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3 PDEA agents, 4 cops to face charges over 2021 PNP-PDEA 'misencounter'
By JOAHNA LEI CASILAO,GMA NewsThe Department of Justice (DOJ) will file charges against three Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents and four police officers over last year's "misencounter" that left four people dead.
According to a DOJ briefer, homicide charges will be filed against the PDEA agents and direct assault charges will be lodged against the Philippine National Police officers.
In February 2021, PNP officers and PDEA personnel engaged in a shootout
in front of a fast-food chain along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City with both saying they were conducting anti-drug operations.This resulted in the deaths of two cops, one PDEA agent, and one informant.
Those who will be facing homicide charges are PDEA agents Khee Maricar Rodas, Jelou Satiniaman, and Jeffrey Baguidudol over the death of Police Corporal Eric Elvin Gerado.
“After evaluation of the evidence, the Panel of Prosecutors found sufficient evidence to charge respondents PDEA agents Rodas, Baguidudol, and Satiniaman for homicide,” the DOJ briefer read.
Meanwhile, those who will be facing direct assault charges are Police Corporal, Paul Christian Ganzeda, Police Corporal Honey Besas, Police Major Sandie Caparroso, and Police Major Melvin Merida.
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“With respect to the injuries sustained by PDEA responders, there is sufficient evidence identifying some police officers who actually hit, strike, and maul them,” the briefer said.
The charges will be filed at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
Meanwhile, two homicide complaints were dismissed due to lack of evidence.
According to the DOJ, the charge against PDEA agent Romeo Asuncion was dismissed on the ground that the firearm and caliber used to shoot Police Corporal Lauro De Guzman was never identified.
Further, the Justice Department said that none of the cartridges found in the area matched Asuncion’s firearm.
The DOJ also dismissed the charge against Police Corporal Alvin Borja as “there is also no record showing that Police Corporal Borja was the only one who actually shot at Gano.”
Other complaints for attempted homicide, falsification of official document, robbery, conniving to or consenting to evasion, arbitrary detention, sedition, and violation of the anti-torture act are all dismissed for insufficiency of evidence. —KBK, GMA News