NBI: Convict in Sablayan Penal Colony 'dictated tempo' at Commonwealth PNP-PDEA shootout

A convict detained at the Sablayan Penal Colony was the one who dictated the tempo which resulted in the bloody shootout between the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Commonwealth Avenue in February, an official of the National Bureau of Investigation said Monday.

During the hearing of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee on the matter, NBI-National Capital Region director Cesar Bacani said this was one of the things they found out based on the pieces of evidence and testimonies submitted by the PNP and PDEA.

“Nu'ng sinubmit sa amin ng PNP ‘yung conversation ni Jonaire (Decena) at saka ni James Tan, nag-human intelligence kami. Na-locate namin na sa Sablayan Penal Colony (galing) ‘yung tawag,” Bacani said.

Sablayan Penal Colony is in Occidental Mindoro.

“Paopao is Mervin Magallon na nakakulong sa Sablayan Penal Colony na siyang nakikipag-usap kay Jonaire nu'ng una. Pero ‘yung picture du'n sa cellphone ni (Jonaire), hindi si Paopao ‘yun. ‘Yun si Reynato Peña, alyas James Tan, alyas Yamashita Arigato, na mukha lang n’ya (Tan) ang nilagay dun,” Bacani explained.

“Mukha lang siya (Tan) pero the one dictating the tempo is Paopao or Magallon. Ginamit lamang ni Magallon ‘yung mukha ni Peña dahil kilala na siya ni Jonaire,” he said.

During the hearing, the Quezon City Police District said their informant Jonaire, a detainee, was supposed to transact with drug suspect James Tan. The two had several phone conversations and text messages which QCPD presented to the Senate panel.

It was Untong Matalnas who was allegedly ordered by Tan to meet Jonaire. Matalnas, alias Bato and alias Intsik, turned out to be an asset of PDEA. Matalnas was among those killed in the shootout. However, it was not yet known who killed him.

“Si Paopao ‘yung kausap ni alyas Bato, hindi naman diretso si Mama Jo (Jonaire’s alias). ‘Yung mga operation namin before si Paopao na nakalagay sa Sablayan, ‘yun ang sinasabi nilang James Tan,” PDEA director general Wilkins Villanueva said during the hearing.

He said the number used by Paopao and the supposed James Tan turned out to be the same.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa, committee chairman, said this is the reason he wanted to pursue the reimposition of death penalty for high-level drug traffickers.

“‘Yan ang frustration ko sa death penalty. Walang katapusan e. Kung meron tayong death penalty, ‘yang Paopao na ‘yan na nakakulong pala sa Sablayan, kung nabitay na ‘yan noon, wala na sanang misencounter na nangyari sa PDEA at PNP. Ginagago tayo ng drug lord sa loob ng kulungan. Patuloy ang kanilang sindikato. Sana ibalik na ang death penalty sa high level drug traffickers,” he said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III agreed with him.

Bacani said they expect to finish their investigation on the PNP-PDEA shootout in two weeks.

“We are nearing completion of our investigation, 90%. In two weeks time we can make our recommendation. We are just waiting for the result of the forensic examination on the CCTVs, cellphones, firearms for authentication,” he said.

The Senate panel suspended the hearing and decided to wait for NBI's final report. —KG, GMA News