The Internal Affairs Service of the Western Visayas regional police, has initiated a motu-proprio investigation on the death of a drug suspect during an anti-drugs operation in Janiuay, Iloilo on Wednesday.
But Col. Roger James Brillantes, director of the Police Regional Office 6-IAS, said the conduct of investigation to determine if there were any lapses in the operation was part of their mandate to ensure that all police operations are in line with the PNP Police Operational Procedure.
He said this was the instruction given by IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo amid allegations of extra-judicial killings and violations of human rights that only put the PNP in bad light.
Brillantes identified the slain suspect as 33-year old Deniel Dalisay. He said 33-year old Eugene Garzon was also arrested in the same operation. The third suspect, known as a certain Tarzan, was able to elude arrest.
He said the operation started as a buy-bust that led into a shootout when Dalisay tried to fight on his way to escape. He was gunned down.
Brillantes said the same operation was conducted in Sitio Cantil in Barangay Damires at around 4:30 pm. Wednesday also resulted in the confiscation of some P544,000 worth of shabu.
Seized were 11 sachets of shabu, a 9mm pistol, and the marked money.