Some witnesses told what happened during the “misencounter” between some personnel of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police (PNP) officers in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on Wednesday.
At around 6 o’clock, the diners at the restaurant heard gunshots from the parking lot.
“Sa likod pa lang namin may pulis na, pinadapa kaming lahat baka may matamaan ng baril. Natakot kasi siyempre baril ‘yan,” the witness said.
Two policemen were killed and several others were injured in the incident.
In the video taken by a civilian, customers of a fast-food restaurant were seen hiding inside the bathroom.
Their hands were raised and they terrified of the police who stopped them, especially a pregnant woman.
Tensions escalated when a gun was found on a woman who identified herself as PDEA personnel.
“Pumasok lang kami para kumain. Mga dalawang hakbang namin mula sa loob, nagkaputukan na. Tumakbo na kami, nagtago, pumasok sa loob ng kitchen hanggang sa pumasok sa stockroom, nagpunta sa rooftop. Natakot, nabalisa,” a customer said.
Customers and staff of the mall near the diner were also frightened.
Witnesses tell what occurred during PDEA vs. PNP misencounter
According to “Inna,” she was shopping when she suddenly saw the department store staff running away.
“Grabe ‘nung na-trap po kami ‘yung tumatakbo po sa isip ko, hala bumili lang ako ng sapatos tapos ganito ‘yung nangyari,” said Inna.
When he asked a staff, she said there were shooters outside the mall.
More than 20 customers hid with “Inna.” But she said no one spoke to them from the mall management about what happened, and they got the news on social media.
“Nagkaroon pa po ng misinformation kasi wala pong nakakaalam kung anong tunay na nangyayari. May nagsabi na nga daw na nakapasok na ‘yung mga nagbabarilan, ganoon po. Bakit ganito? Kinakabahan na po kami lahat, ‘yung iba pong customers, nangangapa din po sila na baka hindi kami makalabas,” said Inna.
Authorities had earlier said the police and PDEA operation was legitimate but ended up in a misencounter. They are still investigating how this happened.
“This is a legitimate anti-drugs operation. So kung sino ‘yong nagbuy-bust, kung sino ‘yong ka-buy bust, ‘yon po ‘yong iimbestigahan natin,” said Metro Manila police chief Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr.