PNP crime lab turns over to NBI firearms used in Atimonan incident

The Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory has turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation the firearms used by both parties involved in the supposed encounter in  Quezon province on January 6 that left 13 people dead. Several firearms, along with empty shells and slugs found in the crime scene and a few documents, were turned over on Thursday to the NBI, the sole government agency tasked to investigate the case, a report by Ian Cruz on "Balitanghali" said. The PNP Crime Lab, headed by Dir. C/Supt. Liza Sabong, turned over to the NBI 17 short firearms and nine long firearms used by the police during the alleged encounter in Atimonan town, the report said. Also, two long firearms  (a baby armalite, an M-14 caliber) and 12 short firearms recovered from the 13 fatalities; and a few documents such as the autopsy report and the SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) report, including sketches and photos of the crime scene, were turned over. Sabong said the police would leave it to the NBI to do the report on the ballistics examination based on the initial data from the police. "'Yung mga shells and slugs, na-encode na namin sa IBIS (Integrated Ballistics Identification System), ibig sabihin nasa database na siya," Sabong said. Around 200 slugs and empty shells – 13 slugs and 187 empty shells – had been recovered from the crime scene, said the report. On the other hand, 265 live bullets had been recovered from the firearms of the fatalities. Also, the report said the slug that was recovered from the knee of Police Superintendent Hansel Marantan, the lone police officer wounded in the supposed encounter, has been given to the NBI. However, Marantan's firearm has yet to be turned over. "Kahapon 'yung slug na nakuha sa ospital, ibinigay na sa amin. At ito ay nasa firearms investigation division na namin ngayon," said Danielito Lalusis, executive officer of the investigation division of the NBI. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News