MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday, April 5, announced it has formed a fact-finding team to probe a dispersal operation in Kidapawan City that claimed two lives and injured more than 100 cops and protesters.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said Police Director Isagani Nerez, Director for Integrated Police Operations for Western Mindanao, is the Team Leader for a group composed of officials from different Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Units (RCDIU) and Mindanao Area Police Intelligence Offices (MAPIO).

The officials in the team are:

• Police Superintendent Danilo Macerin – Chief, RCIDU 11
• Police Senior Superintendent Felix Servita – Chief, RCIDU 12
• Police Superintendent Rainiero De Chavez – Chief, MAPIO
• Police Senior Superintendent Daniel Macatlang – Ex-O, DIPO-WM as the Team Secretariat

Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento had earlier ordered the National Police Commission, which has administrative control and organizational supervision over the police force, to probe the police operation and concerned local government unit (LGU). 

On April 1, police dispersed thousands of farmers after a days-long protest to ask for rice and aid. North Cotabato is among the areas worst-hit by El Niño. – Rappler.com