Malacañang assured families of the 14 farmers who were killed during the simultaneous police operations in Negros Oriental that President Rodrigo Duterte will not allow police brutality.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after fact-finding teams released the result of their investigation showing that the farmers were allegedly summarily executed contrary to the claim of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that they died in a legitimate police operations.
Panelo said, Palace is waiting for the official copy of the report on the investigation, which the PNP is now currently doing with a team from its national headquarters now in Negros Oriental to start the probe.
However, Panelo reiterated “presumption of regularity on the police action as the operations were backed by search warrants.”
The Palace official urged the families of the 14 farmers to file charges against the police officers as this is the proper and legal recourse available for them.
“The families, however, can always file criminal charges against the police officers, and they should if the circumstances warrant, as this is the proper and legal recourse available to them,” Panelo said.
