Crime Lab chief axed from post after interview on Capiz gun raid

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

What’s in a media interview?

 

In the case of Police Colonel Enrique Ancheta, it cost him his post as Chief of the PNP Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO) in Western Visayas.

Ancheta confirmed on January 20, 2021 that he was relieved as RCLO-6 chief on the same day that the PNP Crime Laboratory handed down his relief order.

The Crime Laboratory is a national support unit, thus it is not under the jurisdiction of the Police Regional Office-6 headed by Brig. General Rolando Miranda.

The relief order explicitly pointed out that his interview with Bombo Radyo-Iloilo was the reason why he was booted out of office.

The interview Ancheta was referring to happened evening of January 19.

He was asked about the result of the paraffin test on the nine persons who were killed during a police operation in Tapaz, Capiz on December 30, 2020.

A paraffin test is a test in which a paraffin cast of the hand of a person or persons suspected of firing a gun or guns is subjected to chemical analysis to determine the presence of gunpowder particles.

Paraffin test results, however, are inadmissible as conclusive evidence in Philippine courts.

Ancheta said that he only gave a categorical answer when asked if seven of the nine persons who were killed during police operations yielded negative results in the paraffin test.

“Sinabi ko lang po ang totoo. Ang sabi ko naman na hindi ibig sabihin na kapag nagative ka, hindi ka nakapagpaputok ng baril. Ang sabi ko, meron namang factors yan why it turned out negative,” he said.

Ancheta claimed he just confirmed what was asked of him but did not give an analysis of the result.

In fact, he only gave the complete test results to the requesting party.

“Tinanong ako but I didn’t reveal the result,” he said, claiming he was asked if how many tested negative, but he did not identify who yielded positive or negative results.

Ancheta said that he could not have possibly denied or gave a different answer than the result.

When asked about his plans following his relief, Ancheta said he could not think of any.

“Wala naman akong plano kundi sumunod. Ang sa akin lang naman eh the Crime Laboratory is neutral. Wala po kaming sasabihin na pagsisinungaling dito. Kung sasabihin naman na yes or no, sasabihin namin yes,” he said.

Ancheta said that did not call for a media interview as he was only asked by Bombo Radyo and the interview later made rounds on social media.

He added that it was not his intention to put the PNP organization or anyone in bad light, rather he only told the truth.

“Nagsasalita lang kami ng katotohanan. Alangan naman magsinungaling ako? Or hindi ako magsasalita. Sasabihin naman ng media na may tinatago ang Crime Lab,” he said.

It can be noted that the encounter that happened on December 30, 2020 led to the deaths of Roy Giganto, Reynaldo Katipunan and Mario Aguirre of Barangay Lahug; Maurito Diaz, Sr. of Barangay Tacayan; Eliseo Gayas, Jr. of Barangay Aglinab; Artilito Katipunan of Barangay Acuña; Joemar Vidal of Barangay Daan Sur; and Garson Catamin and Rolando Diaz of Barangay Nayawan.

While raids were also done in Calinog in Iloilo, no one was killed in the said town.

The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has earlier said that necessary force was used after the slain subjects put up a fight with the operatives.

Subsequently, bishops from Western Visayas and Romblon issued a pastoral letter demanding for a thorough investigation.

The bishops also noted the families’ counter-claim that “the victims did not resist arrest. The firearms and explosives were planted. The victims were murdered.”