police scalawags

Sen. Bam: Secret jail cell ‘unacceptable’, punish abusive policemen

Sen. Bam Aquino urged the government not to treat with kid gloves erring policemen who were behind the secret jail cell discovered inside a police station in Manila, insisting that they should be held accountable for their actions.

“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang ganitong pagmamalabis. Kailangan itong maimbestigahan at matigil,” said Sen. Bam, referring to the clandestine jail cell uncovered by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) inside the Raxabago police station in Tondo, Manila. 

Twelve people, who were arrested during anti-illegal drug operations, were found locked up inside the jail.

 “We have to be serious about making erring policemen accountable, otherwise these abuses will continue and even flourish,” added Sen. Bam.

As the government’s enforcement arm in its war against illegal drugs, the Philippine National Police (PNP) should safeguard public’s trust by ensuring that scalawag policemen are punished accordingly.

“Nakasalalay ang tiwala ng sambayanang Pilipino sa mga susunod na hakbang ng kapulisan. Kailangang paigtingin ang kampanya laban sa mga iskalawag na pulis at pang-aabuso,” said Sen. Bam. 

“If the administration’s priority is the drug war, then we need an upstanding police force. Transferring scalawag policemen to Basilan is not enough,” the senator emphasized, adding that “the rest of the world is watching closely and Filipino lives hang in the balance”.

Bam: Are police scalawags now above the law?

Instead of promising pardon to scalawag policemen who will be convicted in the performance of their duties in the fight against illegal drugs, President Duterte should let the justice system takes its course and punish those who will be found guilty of abuse and other crimes.

 “With his promise, it seems that there are individuals and groups who are above the law,” said Sen. Bam, referring to Duterte’s commitment to police officers who would be convicted in the performance of their duties.

 “Mas magandang hayaan muna nating umusad ang ating sistemang panghustisya bago ang anumang pangako,” he added.

 It was reported that among those who could receive pardon are 19 police officers involved in the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa. The police officers were ordered arrested and charged with murder.

 The police officers killed Espinosa inside the Baybay sub-provincial jail last year.  They claimed that the mayor fired at them while they were about to implement a search warrant.

In the Senate hearing, however, a medico-legal officer from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) determined that the shots were fired when Mayor Espinosa was lying down. Other details regarding the altercation also raised alarm bells with fellow police who narrated these to the Senators.

 According to its report, the Committee on Public Order, chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Espinosa’s murder was premeditated and the involved policemen committed abuse of authority.

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