CAMP Olivas, Pampanga -- The Police Regional Office 3 has started investigating the alleged operational lapses by local police in an encounter with suspected armed robbers in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga last Wednesday.

PRO3 director Chief Supt. Edgardo T. Ladao yesterday directed the regional investigation division headed by Senior Supt. Emmanuel M. Lukban to carry out the order of PNP chief Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome.

On Friday, Bartolome, after seeing a video footage of a police officer casually firing a shot at an apparently dead suspect, immediately instructed Ladao to look into the case.

Bartolome said the investigation will not be limited to the alleged violation of Police Operational Procedures by police personnel involved but will go as far up as their immediate superior officers under the doctrine of command responsibility.

Last Tuesday, local police foiled a robbery after killing in an encounter three armed robbers in Bgy. Maimpis, City of San Fernando. The suspects were out to rob a sari-sari store when they were seen by a passing motorist who immediately called for police assistance.

Supt. Luisito Magnaye, City of San Fernando police chief, identified the slain robbers as Michael Canlas, Boy Austria and Crisanto Tagama, reportedly members of “Akyat-Bahay Gang” operating in Pampanga.

Police seized from the suspects a cal. 40 pistol, a cal. .38 pistol and a homemade 12-gauge shotgun.

In a related development, the Commission on Human Rights is also conducting a separate investigation into the case.

Lawyer Jasmine Navarro Regino, regional director of CHR in Central Luzon, ordered the investigation after seeing the video footage on television.

She said they will look into the case to determine if there was indeed an operational lapse during the police operation.