Dela Rosa sets Senate inquiry into the PDEA-PNP shootout on Monday, March 15

SENATOR Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, will conduct an inquiry on Monday, March 15, 2021, into the February 24, 2021 shootout in Quezon City between agents of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and members of Quezon City Police District (QCPD), which resulted in the death of five persons.

The public hearing will start at 9 a.m. and will be held at Senators Laurel and Pecson Rooms, 2nd Floor, Senate of the Philippines, Pasay City.

The Senate investigation, in aid of legislation, is based on Senate Resolution No. 662 filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate Resolution No. 667 filed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Senate Bill No. 3, shortly titled "Presidential Drug Enforcement Authority Act" authored by Sotto, is also on the agenda.

Invited resource persons from the PNP side are PNP Chief PGen. Debold M. Sinas, QCPD Director PBGen. Danilo Pepino Macerin, National Capital Region Police Office Director PBGen. Vicente Danao, Jr., PMGen. Alfred S. Corpus, PMGen. Marni C. Marcos, Jr., PMGen. Dennis P. Agustin, PBGen. Ferro, the policemen involved in the incident, leaders of the QCPD responding team, and the Scene of the Crime Operation team that investigated the shootout scene.

Sinas is not expected to attend because he was tested positive for COVID-19. The invitation was already sent to him before the result of his test came out. He will be represented by Lt. Guillermo Eleazar, officer-in-charge of the PNP and Deputy Chief for Administration.

Requested to attend from the PDEA side are Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva, Deputy Director General for Operations Gregorio R. Pimentel, Intelligence and Investigation Service Director Edgar Jubay, Special Enforcement Service Officer-In-Charge Rogelito A. Daculla, operatives involved in the incident, and leaders of the team that responded to the incident area.

National Bureau of Investigation Director Eric B. Distor was also invited.

On February 24, the two groups engaged in a gun battle near a shopping mall along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City that instantly killed two police officers, a PDEA agent, and an informant, while several others were wounded. A few days later, the NBI announced that another person also died.