Marbil orders rescue, raid tactics review
PHILIPPINE National Police chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil has ordered a review of their operational procedures and even the use of high-powered rifles when it comes to the conduct of raids and anti-kidnapping operations in the wake of the accidental death due to a ‘friendly fire’ of a policeman last August 3 in Angeles City in Pampanga.
PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean S. Fajardo said the top cop wants to determine if high-powered rifles including their Israeli-made Galil Ace caliber 5.56 rifle should be used in operations to rescue kidnapping-for-ransom victims or other close-combat battle scenarios.
The PNP in 2018 procured 7,700 units of Galil Ace rifles which are now being used by different police units across the country.
The same weapon turned out to be the one that killed Police Staff Sergeant Nelson Santiago and seriously wounded Police Chief Master Sgt. Eden Accad during the anti-kidnapping operation in Angeles City.
Col. Fajardo said that the PNP chief ordered the evaluation of their operational procedures amid obvious lapses on the part of some of the AKG personnel which led in the death of Santiago and the wounding of Accad.
“Malungkot si Chief,PNP dahil nalagasan na naman tayo ng pulis. Without condemning the policeman who accidentally killed his colleague, Gen. Marbil wants to find out kung ano ba dapat ang gawin sa gaintong klase ng operation. Dapat bang long firearms, dapat bang me ganitong kalakas na ammo na might endanger the life of the police and others. Preservation of life ang gusto niya,” she said.
Col. Fajardo said that the PNP chief has assured the family of Santiago that there won’t be any cover-up in the investigation into the death of Santiago.
“No less than the Chief,PNP assured the family na hindi itatago ang resulta ng investigation na bagamat aksidente, kailangang me panagutan na batas,” she said.
