MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday clarified that the administrative relief of the 13 Highway Patrol Group (HPG) personnel over an alleged confrontation with operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) during an operation in Sta. Maria, Bulacan.
Personnel from the HPG’s Regional Highway Patrol Unit-National Capital Region, including its chief were relieved from their post in connection to a recent raid of a BoC warehouse in Bulacan where its personnel were caught burning smuggled cigarettes, the HPG said.
Initial reports said a confrontation ensued between the two camps during the destruction of confiscated smuggled cigarettes.
In a statement, HPG Director Brig. Gen. Rommel Batangan ordered the relief over the weekend as authorities investigate the incident.
PNP spokesperson PCol. Allen Rae Co said the relief was ordered to ensure that the investigation into the incident would be fair and impartial.
“We would like to make it clear that the relief ordered by the Chief PNP does not mean that they were found guilty or of any wrongdoing,” Co said during a press briefing in Camp Crame.
He said the administrative relief was intended to prevent the personnel involved from influencing the investigation.
“It is to pave the way for a fair and impartial investigation that cannot be influenced by the very people involved. It is not right for you to investigate yourself,” Co said.
Why HPG?
The PNP is also digging into why HPG-National Capital Region (NCR) carried out the operation in Bulacan instead of the local police unit or a more fitting unit such as the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
“This will form part of the investigation to be conducted. They will be given a chance, everyone is entitled to due process, to air their side,” Co said.
Co explained that the HPG’s primary function is on traffic enforcement, security and anti-carnapping operations but said the investigation will determine whether it had a mandate to conduct such buy-bust operations.
The PNP information chief clarified that there may be instances when HPG personnel could continue an operation involving suspected contraband if it originated from a highway and was being tracked by police.
“If the contraband came from the highway, we can continue the operation. It would be inefficient if they had to call another unit while they were already tracking it,” he said.
However, circumstances of the operation must still be established, especially since it was reportedly conducted as a buy-bust operation.
Conflicting claims, Must hear both sides
Initial reports said the HPG's operation was triggered by information about the alleged sale of smuggled goods involving some Customs personnel.
The BoC meanwhile said they were only conducting routine destruction of evidence, a practice of lawful regulated disposal of physical evidence which usually include drugs, smuggled goods, loose firearms and the like.
With conflicting stories, Co stressed that both sides must be heard.
“It will all come out in the investigation. We do not want to preempt the result. It is premature to tell you now what happened because we have to hear both sides, or all sides, regarding this incident,” he said.
“It is premature to judge or say what really happened. This will all come out through the proper investigation,” he said.
He added that investigators would also look into whether there was proper coordination with other government agencies, noting that anti-smuggling operations are not among the PNP’s primary functions.
“The truth cannot be hidden here. We will determine what really happened,” Co said.
The local police unit is expected to conduct the initial investigation, while the Chief PNP will determine who will be designated as the lead investigator.
“The main purpose of the relief is really to give way to an impartial investigation,” he said.
