Have the Philippine National Police (PNP) become guns for hire of foreign organized crime?

Sen. Bam wonders about this after Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre revealed links of a foreign mafia to the kidnapping and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.

 “Kung totoo po iyan, kailangan i-explore. Pero in this case ni Jee Ick Joo, ginamit nila iyong pulis natin. It’s not the case na mga Koreano iyong pumatay sa Koreano kundi mga pulis natin,” said Sen. Bam during the Senate committee on public order hearing on the kidnap/murder case.

 “Dalawa o tatlong pulis at isang civilian, according to his (SPO4 Roy Villegas) story na sumasang-ayong ang PNP, pinatay ang isang South Korean businessman sa kalagitnaan ng PNP,” he added.

Sen. Bam made the pronouncement after Aguirre claimed that he has received information that the businessman was kidnapped twice by the said mafia before being killed inside Camp Crame.

Senior Supt. Albert Ferro, director of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG), supported Aguirre’s statement, saying only a transnational syndicate can recruit personnel from the PNP and NBI for their illegal operations.

During the hearing, Sen. Bam admonished Villegas for doing nothing while the South Korean was allegedly being strangled by SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel inside a parked car in Camp Crame.

 Villegas, for his part, admitted that he did not do anything to prevent the murder as he was earlier threatened by Sta. Isabel that something will happen to him.

 Sen. Bam also advised policemen who will be in the same situation as SPO4 Villegas to honor their oath to protect the citizentry.

 “Our police should honor their oath. When they are asked to murder, they should stop it, not allow it,” said Sen. Bam.