Commander of cops in fatal road crash sacked from post

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

The deadly road incident involving personnel of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RFMB)-6 will not end in burying the dead and treating the wounded.

Questions on the possible gaps and lapses must be answered, as the hierarchy of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) ordered the relief of its commander, Police Lieutenant Colonel Leo Batiles.

Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, said he ordered Batiles’ relief effective March 1 pending the conduct of the investigation.

Police Lieutenant Colonel John Lemuel Villafranca, the RFMB-6 deputy commander, said he will take over as officer-in-charge to carry on with the responsibilities that Batiles left behind.

Batiles is now assigned to the PNP Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU).

Villafranca will also take care of the needs of the bereaved families and those who are still confined in hospitals.

The fatalities were identified as Police Corporal Emerson Peñarubia, Patrolman Rex Agupitan, Patrolman Prince Angelo Supiter, and Patrolman Antonio Tumanday, Jr.

Of the 26 wounded personnel, 11 are still recuperating in different hospitals.

As the father of the command, Pamuspusan said he is saddened by the loss of lives but they must confront the issues hounding the incident that claimed the lives of four cops and injured 26 others.

“We have a lot to learn from the incident. So, I ordered the conduct of an investigation to identify the lapses in order to avoid the reoccurrence,” he said.

Pamuspusan said that Batiles would also be part of the investigation.

Police Brigadier General Alexander Sampaga, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) deputy regional director for administration, will lead the probe alongside senior officers, including Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) chief Colonel Paul Kenneth Lucas.

 

GAPS AND LAPSES 

Pamuspusan said RFMB-6 senior officers need to explain why they used a civilian vehicle in extracting the personnel of the RFMB-6’s 601st Company.

It was gathered that the troops borrowed a dump truck of the local government unit (LGU) of Alimodian after their prophylactic or preventive patrol.

The practice had been reportedly going on for two years already.

What further irked Pamuspusan was the fact that the RFMB got a new Hino 500 utility truck last week.

They were the only unit that was provided with the said vehicle last week during the 29th PNP Foundation Day celebration.

“Why were they using an LGU vehicle? Mayroon tayong sasakyan for the RFMB’s personnel use,” he said.

Pamuspusan said he would like to know if it’s a normal procedure to borrow an LGU truck in a combat operation.

He will also ask if it’s proper for personnel to ride on a truck in a very critical area.

“If it is, these should not be repeated. Kung sabihin natin nakasanayan, this should not be the case,” he said.

Pamuspusan said they will also investigate how the unit extracted the personnel.

“Kumpleto ba ang plano. Was the plan executed properly? Ano ba ang lapses ng mga commanders natin on the ground? Why did they allow our personnel numbering 30 to pack to one LGU truck?” he said.

Pamuspusan said that simple troop leading procedure was apparently disregarded.

“As a commander, you should know how to insert your people and how to extract them. If you conduct an operation, you should have an operational procedure. Everything should be included from the number of personnel, from their target, to the number of days of the operation, to their provisions, to their ammunition, and even to the extraction. That should be understood not only by a colonel but even by a lieutenant,” he said.

The team was conducting prophylactic operation to avert any attack on vital installations when the incident happened.

Pamupuspusan said he was initially told that the incident happened due to a mechanical problem.

The truck carrying 30 policemen was navigating a hilly portion of Barangay Ginomoy around 1:00 p.m. when the vehicle’s engine died.

Initial reports said the truck moved in reverse until it fell on a deep and rugged cliff.

“As to the reason of the incident, that would also form part of the investigation,” he said.

But at the onset, Pamuspusan said there are already tell-tale signs that they must investigate the matter.

“Kahit sinong commander makikita na kaagad eh. If you packed 30 personnel in one truck that is already a sign that it was not planned properly. If you planned properly, di ba dapat dalawang sasakyan ang dinadala or naglakad ka na lang pabalik sa command post,” he said.

Pamuspusan also cited that a commander should know how many personnel were sent out to an operation.

After the incident, reports said that the involved policemen are 32. The number rose to 35 later.

The next day, the number was again at 32.

But as of Monday, the actual number of personnel was at 30.