By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered an impartial investigation into a viral EDSA Busway collision involving a police-marked vehicle and a public utility bus, amid questions about possible violations of standard operating procedures and the accountability of officers involved.
In a statement Sunday, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they were verifying operational documents to establish whether the vehicle was properly deployed for official duty at the time of the crash.
“If this was not an emergency or a legitimate operation, then it’s a clear violation of our deployment protocol. Walang special lane para sa mga pulis na walang (No official lane police officers who have no) official business. We will hold the driver and the supervisor accountable,” he said
Based on initial investigation, a PNP-marked lightbus under the Libreng Sakay (Free Ride) program and a civilian passenger bus collided along EDSA northbound near Main Avenue, Barangay Socorro in Cubao, Quezon City on April 17.
A passenger of the civilian bus posted a video after the collision, while some were heard saying the PNP vehicle swerved.
A police officer was also seen motioning the civilian bus driver to give an identification card.
Although the collision caused only minor property damage and no injuries were reported, Nartatez directed an administrative review to determine the circumstances of the incident and to check whether proper protocols were followed.
Nartatez said the probe will also look into command supervision and possible lapses in discipline within the unit involved. (PNA)
