AGENTS of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) have already interviewed Supt.
Hansel Marantan from his hospital bed over the alleged shootout in Atimonan, Quezon that killed 13 people, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.

“He [Marantan] said that a lot of investigators from the CIDG have talked to him . . . all we know is that the investigators took his statement and he didn’t gave any details of their talk,” Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr., PNP spokesman, said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.

Marantan led the checkpoint manned by about 50 policemen and Army men that allegedly engaged the 13 men aboard two sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in a shootout. Marantan was the only one wounded among the 50.

Cerbo said that Marantan’s statements gathered by the CIDG, along with the findings of a fact-finding body formed by the national police, would be submitted to PNP chief Alan Purisima and then to the National Investigation Bureau (NBI), the lead agency in probing the Atimonan shootout.

He said that the Investigation bureau would be the one to release all information on the alleged encounter at a police checkpoint in Brgy. Lumutan in Atimonan on January 6.

“There’s no gag order on us, but the NBI is the one who should discuss it. It would be better to let them finish the investigation,” Cerbo said, while adding that partial reports to media would only create confusion.

Napolcom conducts separate investigation over Atimonan shootout
Meanwhile, the Napolcom announced that it is conducting a separate investigation into the Atimonan incident.

Napolcom Vice Chairman Eduardo Escueta said that they are focusing on the administrative liabilities of the policemen involved. He said that Napolcom would turn over the results of their separate investigation to the investigating body.

“We can share our findings to the NBI if only to hasten their investigation and prove the criminal and administrative liabilities of the policemen involved,” he added.

Escueta expects their investigation to be completed quickly since the case is “not that complicated.”
“It’s going to be expeditious because the validation reports continue to pour in. There are questions that, once answered, proved that violations were committed on the Philippine National Police’s own procedures,” he explained.

With a report from Ritchie A. Horario