Go to law enforcers: Improve coordination, avoid misencounters

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go has called on law enforcement agencies to improve coordination after a drug sting almost led to a misencounter between operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Barangay Greater Lagro, Quezon City on May 21.

“Nagkaroon ng near encounter between PNP and PDEA agents last week. Ang nakakalungkot doon, full support ang gobyerno sa PNP at PDEA. We support all their funding and operational requirements,” Go said.

He said President Duterte has expressed concern over the incident and instructed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a probe.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Corrections said yesterday there was no anti-drug operation that was coordinated with the BuCor regarding the shootout between members of the PNP and PDEA last February.

The BuCor made the statement after the NBI said that Melvin Magallon, an inmate at the Sablayan Penal Colony in Occidental Mindoro, “dictated the tempo” of the botched drug transaction along Commonwealth Avenue on Feb. 24.

Two police officers, a PDEA agent and an informant were killed in the shootout.

During a hearing of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee on Monday, Cesar Bacani, director of the NBI National Capital Region, said the “inmate, right from inside his cell, dictated the tempo of the drug deal that led to the deadly shootout.”

The NBI said Jonaire Decena, who was tapped by the PNP as a drug buyer, allegedly transacted with a certain James Tan.

The NBI traced the phone call between Decena and Tan to Sablayan prison.

Bacani said Tan was only used as a cover, adding that it was Magallon who was involved in the drug deal.

Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco said Magallon has been isolated from other inmates at the facility’s maximum security compound. – Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Evelyn Macairan