Calabarzon police chief admits signing Coplan Armado

The regional director of the Calabarzon police on Wednesday confirmed that he approved the proposal for "case operation plan [Coplan] Armado," whose operatives figured in an encounter that led to the killing of 13 supposed members of a gun-for-hire group in Atimonan, Quezon. "As far as I know I've signed the case operational plan. And the case operational plan was submitted by Superintendent [Hansel] Marantan to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission [PAOCC] for its possible funding," Chief Superintendent James Melad, Region 4-A (Calabarzon) police director, told reporters after attending an National Bureau of Investigation probe on the incident. Marantan, who is chief of the intelligence unit of the Calabarzon police, headed the policemen and soldiers who flagged down the victims at a checkpoint. He was wounded in the encounter. Melad said he signed the coplan because doing so would secure the operation enough funding. The PAOCC, however, ultimately turned down the proposal. Marantan had earlier claimed that he and Melad signed the approval for Coplan Armado. But even without funding from the PAOCC, Melad said Coplan Armado still pushed through. "And in fact dun sa declaration ng PAOCC, the disapproval is only on the portion of funding of the coplan, on its operation go pa rin," he said. Melad also admitted that while he signed the proposal for the coplan, he was not aware of the full details of the operation. It was Marantan who was directly coordinating with the PAOCC concerning the operations of Coplan Armado, he said. "I believe na si Marantan iyong rumekta [dumerekta] na upon my approval sa PAOCC," Melad said. Melad said he and his men showed up at the NBI probe "as a sign of our cooperation to the ongoing investigation." He was relieved from his post following the Atimonan encounter. "We made ourselves available. Our men there. We can be present anytime that we are called for this investigation," said Melad. Melad refused to divulge other details of the coplan to the media, saying they were confidential. Glenn Dumlao Meanwhile, Superintendent Glenn Dumlao, chief of Special Concerns Task Group of the Calabarzon police who also attended Wednesday's NBI probe, insisted that the controversial "encounter" was the result of a legitimate joint operation by the police and the military. Dumlao is reportedly a "consultant" of the coplan, whose operatives figured in an alleged encounter with its target Victor "Vic" Siman, an alleged jueteng operator in Laguna and Batangas. Siman and 12 others were killed in the encounter. "We insist, like our regional police director, that legitimate and valid iyong operation ng coplan," Dumlao told reporters after emerging from the NBI probe, which was attended by around 30 policemen and soldiers who accompanied Marantan in manning the checkpoint in Atimonan. Dumlao justified the operation, saying it was "our mandate to go against organized crime groups [like Siman's group]." Dumlao was among those charged in May 2001 with murder in connection with the twin killings of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000. However, Dumlao, along with two other members of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF)—said to be behind the killings—managed to flee to the United States. They were all former subordinates of Sen. Panfilo Lacson at the Philippine National Police when he headed the PAOCTF. As deputy chief of operations of the PACTF-Luzon, Dumlao allegedly ordered the execution of Dacer and Corbito in Cavite, hours after their abduction. Dumlao was extradited back to the Philippines in 2009, and later turned state witness. Provoked Dumlao's statement was echoed by lawyer Crisanto Buela, legal counsel for the soldiers. "This is a legitimate operation. They were asked to assist the Philippine National Police under Colonel Marantan in the conduct of the checkpoint," he said. Buela said soldiers decided to back up the policemen after getting information that a "fully armed group" was on their way to the checkpoint. He said the military feared that policemen manning the checkpoint were "underarmed." Both Melad and Buela reiterated that the victims "provoked" the lawmen and soldiers manning the checkpoint, resulting in an exchange of fire. "According to the affidavit submitted it was the person inside the vehicle who first fired," Buela said. "Inunahan sila ng putok," Melad, meanwhile, said. — BM, GMA News