HOUSE leaders on Tuesday agreed the government needs to extend help, especially legal aid, to policemen who are now facing criminal and administrative cases for their participation in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
In a press briefing, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Quad Committee overall presiding officer, said there are policemen who are facing administrative and criminal cases, now need legal assistance promised to them by the Duterte administration.
“Nangangailangan po sila ng abogado. In fact, yung iba ay napipilitan pong mangutang sa … PSSLAI (Public Safety Savings and Loan Association, Inc.) para lang makapagbayad ng abogado na makatutulong sa kanilang pagharap dito sa korte dahil nga po sila ay nahaharap sa mga kaso. Isa lang ho ang kanilang sinasabi na nasaan daw iyung pangako sa kanila na tutulungan sila sa mga kaso at kung ma-convict sila,” Barbers said.
He said such promised help is unlikely to come because pardon cannot be exercised by the former President. “Di na mangyayari ngayon yun dahil nga ang pardon ay nagagawa lamang po ng dating Pangulo. So ngayon ay medyo nagkakaproblema po iyung ibang mga miyembro ng PNP na kung saan ay sa kanilang pagtupad sa kanilang duty to serve the people, sila po ay nakakaharap sa administrative and criminal cases,” he said.
Quad Comm co-chair and Sta. Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez pushed for a motu proprio investigation on the matter to find out the real culpability of the accused cops.
“May intention ba talaga or it was really a call of duty? So kailangan natin malaman yung experience ng mga naapektuhan ng war on drugs,” he said.
Fernandez said per the data given by Philippine National Police chief Rommel Marbil, about 195 cops were dismissed from the service and 398 others are facing dismissal proceedings.
“So papaano iyung pamilya nila? Nawalan sila ng jobs, nawala iyung kanilang life, iyung kanilang dignity as well, in following those orders. Now we wanted to investigate in order to find out what are the necessary things to do especially dito sa mga pamilyang ito. Kailangan siguro po natin ma-distinguish iyung isang lawful order and unlawful acts na ginawa ng mga pulis. Kasi kung mapapansin nyo na-dismiss sila eh. Mga lower ranks sila eh. Hindi nila alam na yun ang ginawa nila is unlawful. Di ba may pronouncement ang (dating) Presidente na, ‘I alone will be responsible for the effects of the war on drugs.’ Now na nangyari sa kanila ito, so sino ang tutulong kanila? So I think the government should also step in in order to find out yung culpability na nila talaga,” Fernandez said.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., also a Quad Comm co-chair, said their committee aims not to punish the cops but to help them.
“Merong mga kapulisan natin na gustong magsabi ng katotohanan. Pinag-usapan na namin ito eh that we are there to help. We’re there to ask the DOJ to perhaps provide the witness protection on them. Sa palagay ko naman the present crop of the Philippine National Police leadership would provide protection for policemen who are honest enough to tell the truth. Hindi namin sila pababayaan. That, we could be able to assure them,” Abante said.
Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said the cases against the cops stemmed from their obedience on the presidential directive of former President Duterte.
“Nakakalungkot lang na napabayaan yung mga police. Siyempre akala nila na they are following direct orders coming from the former President. So sa ngayon napabayaan sila. So nakakalungkot lang dahil yung sinasabi ni former President is all rhetoric. Sana tulungan nila yung mga pulis na nagkaroon ng kaso sa presidential directive na ito,” he said.
