Internal affairs investigating alleged planting of gun in Bukidnon

The Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police is now in possession of the controversial video of a policeman who was recorded placing a gun beside the body of a slain drug suspect in Valencia, Bukidnon.

In Jun Veneracion’s report on “State of the Nation,” PNP-IAS Inspector General Atty. Alfegar Triambulo said they will look for other video records of the incident.

“Titignan natin kung may kuha pa na iba. Especially, kung sino kumuha niyan o baka may mga iba pa siyang kuha,” Triambulo said.

[“We will see if there are other videos. Especially, the one who took the video, if they have another angle.”]

In the video, the policeman was seen firing a gun three times before placing it on the alleged drug suspect on February 20.

The fatality was identified as Pol Estañol, who police said fought the authorities. The policeman who fired the gun was identified as Corporal Benzon Gonzales.

Five days after the video was taken, Gonzales died due to an accident.

Triambulo said the IAS would investigate his colleagues.

“Mayroon naman siyang kasama, mayroon naman tayong tinatawag na conspiracy. So kaya tuloy po ‘yung kaso, kaya tuloy po ‘yung investigation. At kung may alam po itong kanyang mga commanders para maisama po natin sa pagsampa ng kaso,” he said.

[“He has a partner so there is what we call a conspiracy. So the case will continue, the investigation will continue. And if his commanders know something so we can include it in the filing of the case.”]

The National Police Commission has also began its investigation.

Based on the records of the Napolcom, Gonzales did not have a derogatory record.

“Hindi maganda sa imahe ng pulis kung mayroon pong mga ganiyang klase ng video na nakikita na mayroong kakulangan sa ating officers of the PNP,” Atty. Chito Noel Bustonera, the acting service chief of the Legal Affairs Service, said.

(“It’s not good for the image of the police if there are videos showing errant officers of the PNP.”)

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Representative Ferdinand Gaite requested Congress to investigate the incident.

“Mukhang kasama na talaga sa standard operating procedures ng mga police operations itong pamemeke ng shootout upang palabasing nanlaban ang mga biktima ng extrajudicial killings,” he said.

[“It seems that faking a shootout has become a part of the standard operating procedure of police operations to make it seem that victims of extrajudicial killings fought back.”] -Joahna Lei Casilao/NB, GMA News