THE Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) are set to sign an agreement that will hopefully put a stop to “misencounters” during operations against illegal drugs.

PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva revealed that a deal was reached with the PNP to sign before the end of June a “defined operations guidelines” between the two agencies’ agents during the conduct of operations.

“Our police have been enthusiastic [in operations], the same goes to PDEA agents who are also zealous on the job,” Villanueva said in an interview over DZBB radio, referring to how misencounters are taking place.

He said PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar agreed to sign the agreement before the end of the month.

In late February this year, authorities from PDEA and PNP were caught in a botched buy-bust operation at a mall in Quezon City leading to a shootout and the death of two police officers, two PDEA agents and a civilian informant.

Both parties claimed to have conducted legitimate operations, pointing fingers at each other when the Senate initiated an investigation. A shootout also almost took place in Fairview, Quezon City weeks after.