Calabarzon police chief James Melad on Wednesday said that Police Supt. Hansel Marantan took charge of the operation in Atimonan, Quezon province that resulted in the bloody killing of 13 people.

Melad said that he signed the Case Operational Plan (COPlan) that Marantan presented to him. The COPlan aimed to stop the activities of the group of alleged jueteng lord, Vic Siman.

He said that the COPlan was submitted to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (Paocc) headed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, but it was turned down. Marantan handled the operations afterward.

“We endorsed it to the Paocc. Iyung mga COPlan kasi would need enough fundings,” Melad said “I believe na siya [Marantan] yung rumekta na upon my approval sa Paocc.”

Melad explained that he signed the COPlan because he saw nothing wrong in its contents and that he did not know that the operation was illegal because he was not there when it was carried out.

On Tuesday, Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas 2nd sacked Melad from his post after Fernando “Pandoy” Morales, who used to work for Siman, was allegedly gunned down by 20 policemen at San Juan, Batangas on Monday.

Melad said that he was relieved from his post to pave way for the investigations, adding that the Department of the Interior and Local Government is just following the normal process.

Soldiers restricted to quarters
Meanwhile, the 25 soldiers involved in the Atimonan shootout were restricted to quarters as the National Bureau of Investigation continues its probe into the incident in compliance with the directive of President Benigno Aquino 3rd.

Col. Generoso Bolina, spokesman of the Southern Luzon Command, said that among the restricted soldiers were the commanding officer of the special forces, Col. Monico Abang, and two other unidentified officers.

The soldiers would not be allowed to leave, conduct operations and participate in trainings, pending result of the ongoing investigation.

“The order came from Maj. Gen. Alan Luga, commander of the Southern Luzon Command, who has direct control on the special forces battalion under Col. Monico Abang,” Bolina said.

Bolina also maintained that the soldiers were sent to the area as requested by the police following the alleged intelligence that a heavily armed gun for hire would pass in Atimonan.

“There was no mention of jueteng whatsoever, but only the group [was] armed, guns-for-hire and private armed group,” Bolina stressed.