There will be no whitewash in the investigation on the attempted carnapping incident reported Thursday evening in Dumaguete City, involving a law student, Sr. Supt. Edward Carranza, director of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, assured yesterday.

Carranza admitted that there were procedural lapses on the part of the Dumaguete police intelligence operatives, led by Insp. Don Richmond Conag, that will focus on the administrative investigation to be conducted by the PNP Region 7.

However, he said it was not an attempted carnapping as claimed by the victim, whose name is withheld for security reasons, but a case of mistaken identity.

In his initial report to Carranza, Supt. Crisaleo Tolentino, chief of the Dumaguete Police, said that, according to Conag, the intelligence team had earlier conducted a drug buy-bust operation at San Jose Street Extension in Dumaguete, where the drug suspect escaped.

It appeared that the intelligence asset pointed to the law student’s car that was traveling on the same street as the drug suspect, Carranza said.

Despite this, an administrative charge is poised against Conag and other intelligence operatives, and also Tolentino, for command responsibility, he said.

Carranza cited among the lapses a violation of the rules of engagement where police operational procedures have to be observed even during a “hasty checkpoint”. The police officers should have presented credentials as soon as they blocked the victim’s car, he said.

Even if the person inside the car was indeed their object, the police cannot discharge their guns without reason. In case a suspect is getting away, the proper procedure is for the officers to call for assistance and set up a dragnet for the fleeing car, Carranza added.

He also noted a mishandling of the case at the police station when the victim arrived to seek assistance. The intelligence operatives, who followed the victim to the police station, should have approached and settled the issue by informing the law student that he was mistaken for a drug suspect.

Carranza said he has urged the victim to file a complaint against the policemen although he had initially signified his intent not to do so.

But Carranza said that even without a criminal complaint, he will recommend an investigation for possible administrative sanctions against the policemen.

The student reported that a sports utility vehicle, blocked his path, and four armed men alighted, and ordered him to get out; but he reversed gear and sped off.

The chase ended at the police station where the victim reported the incident to the police on duty, and where the pursuing vehicle also arrived.

The victim’s car, a grey Kia Soul, incurred two flat rear tires and a bullet puncture on the hood.*JFP

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