More police violations in Ozamiz case crop up

MANILA, Philippines - Violations of police operational procedures by elements of the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) in the Calabarzon region in the killing of Ozamiz robbery gang leaders continue to crop up.

The STAR learned that the National Internal Affairs Service Camp Crame-Task Force San Pedro found members of the RSOG-Calabarzon failed to immediately inform their supervisors and the higher headquarters of the killing of Ozamiz robbery gang leaders Ricky Cadavero and Wilfredo Panogalinga.

In a report submitted to Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima, the task force said this was in violation of the revised guidelines and procedures on the short messaging system (SMS) of significant incidents that have been implemented starting 2011.

The task force earlier reported that RSOG members used a recovered stolen vehicle to transport Cadavero and Panogalinga when they were killed after allegedly trying to grab the firearms of their police escorts last July 15.

The task force said the shooting incident took place at around 7:30 p.m. on July 15 but the Calabarzon police office sent the report to the Law Enforcement Division of the National Operation Center (NOC) only at around 10:55 a.m. of July 16.

“There was about 15 hours delay in reporting the incident. The San Pedro, Laguna police chief reported the incident to the Laguna provincial police office at about 1:50 a.m. of July 16, or a delay of more than six hours,” the report said.

The report, however, noted that no available records could show that the Laguna and Cavite police offices submitted their respective reports on the arrest and death of Cadavero and Panogalinga.

Under standard operating procedures, the concerned police station must immediately prepare a report and send it through SMS to the provincial police office and the NOC.

The report may also be sent to the regional police office and the PNP chief as well.

“The SMS report should reach the National Operation Center not later than an hour after the incident. Written report of the incident should immediately follow after the SMS,” the task force said.

The initial/flash report, according to the task force, shall be used for purposes of informing a higher office in advance on the occurrence of a significant incident.

“The initial/flash report is not necessarily a complete written narrative. However, within three hours from the time of rendering such advance information, the spot report or the narrative report shall be submitted,” it added.

The task force observed that the arrest of Cadavero and Panogalinga happened at 11:45 a.m. of July 12 but the Dasmariñas City police prepared the report only on July 14.

The report of the Calabarzon police office was forwarded to the Office of Director for Operations only at 10:53 p.m. of July 13. 

“Moreover, it was reflected in the PNP NOC journal that the same report was received on July 13, 2013 at about 11:02 p.m. There was a delay of more than 35 hours,” the report added.