Board of Inquiry created to look into Datu Piang attack — Sinas

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Debold Sinas on Tuesday said a Board of Inquiry has been created to look into the attack on Datu Piang, Maguindanao last week.

"We have organized the Board of Inquiry, headed by the director for DIDM... ang chairman po ay si Police Major General Marni Marcos and five others... the purpose of the BOI is they have specific functions po... to determine what has really transpired in the harassment," Sinas said at a press briefing.

"Also, part of their task is to determine if there are any administrative and operational lapses of our personnel there. They are also likewise directed to determine if there [were] intelligence reports received. 'Yun po ang gagawin natin," he added.

Sinas said the Police Regional Office -BARMM also created a special investigation task group that will help in investigating the incident.

Asked if there is a timeline on the investigation of the incident, Marcos said they would submit the result of the probe as soon as possible.

"We are still in coordination with the RD PRO BARMM... we are now collecting all facts gathered... as soon as we will be able to get all this, we will submit our Board of Inquiry report on the Datu Piang harassment," Marcos said in the same briefing.

Night attack

On the evening of December 3, some 50 armed men believed to be members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Dawlah Islamiya attacked Datu Piang's Barangay Poblacion area.

Lieutenant Colonel Anhouvic Atilano, spokesperson of the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force-Central, said the attack occurred around 10:30 p.m. and the group burned a police vehicle.

An initial probe indicated that the armed men were targeting the town's chief of police, Police Captain Israel Bayona.

No casualties were reported among security forces and civilians.

Sinas said the police chief was momentarily relieved from his post pending investigation on the incident. He added that Bayona is also undergoing a stress debriefing along with other cops.

"He was momentarily relieved kasi nga ongoing 'yung investigation at saka 'yung stress debriefing. Lahat ng na-involve na pulis doon ay inundergo ng stress debriefing," Sinas said.

"After ng result ng BOI ay ibabalik po namin siya at after niya mag-undergo ng stress debriefing. I think he has done his best and he was able to show to Datu Piang residents na maganda 'yung leadership niya," he added.

Sinas earlier said the following motives are being eyed in the incident:

• political rivalry among local executives of Datu Piang, particularly between the Mayor and Vice Mayor over certain political issues;
• vengeance for the death of BIFF [Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter] member Abu Suffian in a police operation in Cotabato City last December 1; and
• personal grudge of some BIFF members against the chief of police of Datu Piang most likely over the arrest of two its members.

— RSJ, GMA News