SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go reiterated the need to improve coordination among law enforcement agencies after separate drug buy-busts between the Novaliches police station drug enforcement unit and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency from CALABARZON regional office almost led to another misencounter in a stand-off near a shopping mall in Brgy. Greater Lagro, Quezon City on Friday, May 21.

“Nagkaroon po ng, almost misencounter noong nakaraang linggo na naman po. ‘Yun po ang masakit doon. Full support tayo sa kanila — full support tayo sa PNP, full support tayo sa PDEA, lahat po ng funding requirements nila, lahat po ng operational requirements nila ay sinusuportahan po natin,” said Go during a Senate committee hearing conducted by the Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs.

“Pero ‘yung atin po dito ay maiwasan po itong bagay na ito. Alamin natin. Tutumbukin po natin kung bakit po nagkakaroon ng ganitong pangyayari. At sana po huli na po iyon, mga misencounter na nangyayari,” he added.

The Philippine National Police and the PDEA were previously involved in a misencounter on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on February 24. Two police officers, a PDEA agent and an informant were killed in the incident.

Go said that President Rodrigo Duterte, himself, has expressed his concern over the incidents, saying, “Naalala ko pa po after noong nangyari ay talagang malungkot po ang ating mahal na Pangulo.”

“Pinakamasakit sa kanya, itong mismong mga law enforcement agencies pa natin,” he added.

According to the Senator, Duterte has instructed the National Bureau of Investigation to uphold neutrality during the investigation as two law enforcement agencies are involved.

“Inatasan naman po niya ang NBI as the neutral or middle po na law enforcement office or agency na mag-imbestiga po tungkol dito. At sana naman po tayo dito sa Senado ay mabigyan po natin ng solusyon,” Go said.

Go, then, went on to express his confidence over the probe being conducted by Senator and Chair of the Committee on Public Order, Ronald dela Rosa, who also served as chief of the PNP.

“I’m sure, Mr. Chair, alam na alam mo ‘yan dahil, being the former PNP Chief. At kilalang-kilala mo din po ‘yung PDEA Director General ngayon na si Wilkins Villanueva,” said Go.

“Magkasama po kayo noon, alam ninyo po paano kayo magtrabaho. Of course, ‘yung PNP po natin ngayon, magkakasama naman po kayo noon,” he added.

Go is also positive that the legislative branch can come up with measures that would prevent such incidents from happening.

“I’m sure, marami po tayong magagawa bilang mambabatas para maiwasan na po itong mga ganitong pangyayari,” the Senator said.Previously, Go urged law enforcement agencies, particularly the PNP and PDEA, to improve inter-agency coordination after the February misencounter between personnel of the two agencies.

“Importante po dito ang koordinasyon dahil puro naman ‘yan magkakakilala. So dapat ang close coordination between law enforcement agencies ay paigtingin pa po,” Go said.

He said that if a law is needed to institutionalize better coordination between PNP and PDEA, he is willing to support such measure to prevent similar unfortunate incidents from happening in the future.

“Kung kailangan ng batas, I am willing to support. ‘Wag lang po mangyari ang mga ganitong aksidente,” he said.