Opening Statement - Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee Hearing

Magandang umaga muli sa ating lahat.

At the outset, I would like to inform the body that we deferred our first scheduled hearing to give sufficient time for NBI to complete their investigation. Allowing the executive department to take precedence in investigation is necessary to give our co-equal branch an opportunity to self-investigate or self-regulate its own ranks. Whoever makes the first move to resolve this unfortunate incident, at this point, would not matter anymore. Lives were lost and we are all united to get to the bottom of this. After all, the truth can be more likely achieved through cooperation and not competition. Indeed, the attainment of justice must take precedence over policy formulations - the latter can wait but the former cannot be denied.

That is why, nung tinawagan ko yung NBI kung ready na sila sa kanilang investigation, sabi nila noon is, 'hindi pa kami ready sir,' so we waited patiently sa kanila. And I hope natapos na nila and kanilang investigation. If not, then we will inquire some more.

Also, it is unfortunate that our second scheduled hearing did not push thru. Then Chief PNP General Debold Sinas, PDEA Director Villanueva, and some of our resource persons were not spared by the COVID-19 virus.

Today, we trust that the agencies and personalities involved in this tragic incident would be able to answer all the questions of this Committee in order for us to fulfill our mandate under the Constitution.

Sa pagdinig na ito, sa tulong ng imbestigasyon na isinagawa ng NBI, at nung version nang involved na ahensya, nawa'y mapagtahi-tahi natin at maayos na mailatag ang mga pangyayari na humantong sa pagkasawi ng limang katao. Lima pala, I thought apat lang, naging lima na pala. Mayroon bang paglabag sa batas at protocol ukol sa lateral coordination ng operasyon ang PNP at PDEA? O kailangan pa ba natin baguhin ang batas na nakakasakop nito?

Before I continue, I would like to play the video of the shooting incident along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City as reported in the news. [Play video of shoot-out]

Nakadidismayang malaman na ang magkabilang panig na nagpapalitan ng putok ay mga PDEA at QCPD operatives! Bakit nangyari ang sagupaan ng parehong pwersa ng gobyerno na lumalaban sa iligal na droga? Sino ang nagpabaya? Sino ang nagkamali?

Our laws are clear on the requirement of lateral coordination among our drugs and narcotics law enforcers. What could have caused the unfortunate incident if there was "proper coordination" between the QCPD-DSOU and the PDEA-SES? How can we prevent this from happening again?

Whether it is a "mis-encounter or shoot-out", no matter what you call it, what should concern us more is the fact that five individuals lost their lives and five families lost their loved ones.

The incident caused the death of: two policemen, Police Corporals Elvin Garado and Lauro de Guzman, Jr.; a PDEA agent, Intelligence Officer I Rankin Gano; a civilian informant; and one who is still not identified[1]. Nagtataka ako bakit not identified pa ito hanggang ngayon, na pakalaki ng ahensya ng PNP, napaka galing ng imbestigador ng NBI, bakit hindi pa ito na identify? But anyway, later on tatanungin ko kayo tungkol dito. Kung sino ito as of the report na nabasa namin, hindi daw kilala but sana you can shed light on this.

Surprisingly, just a week ago, another "near misencounter" between the operatives of the PDEA and Quezon City Police Novaliches Station Drug Enforcement Unit happened in a mall parking lot.

Kaya nga lumamig na sana itong issue na ito, kumalma na sana, pero nangyari nanaman itong sa Novaliches. Baka sabihin naman ng mga tao na masyado na kaming nagpapaya dito sa Senado, particularly your committee on Dangerous Drugs, bakit mangyari nanaman ito. Eh kung nangyari ito, eh parang hindi na tayo natuto, kaya this committee deems it proper to continue itong natetenggang imbestigasyon.

We cannot and should not tolerate what happened in this fateful incident. Mananagot ang kailangang managot!

Despite this dreadful incident, I have no doubt that the campaign against illegal drugs of our government will continue to be relentless regardless of the personalities involved.

Alam niyo kung sino man ang nagkamali dito, sana may bayag tayo na humarap at aminin kung sino ang nagkakamali, ano ang pagkakamali. Anyway, the truth will set us free. Wag tayo matakot kung anong mangyari sa imbestigasyon na ito. As I have said, we will train from the very beginning to become commanders. Ay yung commander naman ay he is responsible enough to take responsibility for what his unit fails or succeeds in doing [in] any operation.

If you can remember noong pinatay yung Koreano na si Jee Ick Joo sa loob ng Camp Crame noon nung ako ay chief PNP, I really volunteered myself to resign. Eh hindi naman tinanggap ni Presidente yung aking resignation, kaya naka pag patuloy ako. Pero, I really, nawalan ako ng self-esteem. I really volunteered to resign, kaya whatever, kung sino mang nagkakamali tatanggapin natin. Anyway walang magaling na commander kapag ang ating mga tauhan, subordinates natin ay mga loko loko.

Kahit gaano natin gustong linisin ang organization natin hangga't meron parin tayong anay na nandyan sa loob ng ating organization na gumagawa ng kalokohan, walang magaling na commander kahit sino pa 'dyan, kaya kailangan malinis natin yung ating ahensya sa mga anay na gumagawa ng diskarte kung meron man.

I encourage our anti-illegal operatives to work united and even harder to save more lives from the evils of the illegal substance. Paigtingin parin natin ang ating pagtutulungan. What will help us win this war is our united and strong front against illegal drugs!

Thank you and good morning.