DOJ investigation on EJK-involved cops ongoing — PNP chief Carlos

Philippine National Police chief Police Lieutenant General Dionardo Carlos said Tuesday the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation of the police officers involved in anti-drug operations that resulted in deaths are still ongoing,  adding that erring cops would be punished accordingly if found guilty.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Carlos said they are in constant coordination with the DOJ and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regarding the review of of alleged extrajudicial killings (EJK) and of the 5,655 police anti-drug operations where deaths have occurred.

The DOJ leads a panel of several government agencies, including law enforcement units, in reevaluating these cases and examining the “propriety of reinvestigating them or filing appropriate charges against erring law enforcement officers."

“If we’re talking about the cases na naibigay natin sa DOJ, kung ito ay magkakaroon ng criminal cases, kakasuhan natin and they will go to trial. Ngayon po, yung mga na-involve, yung administrative cases ng mga ‘yan ay nagtutuloy. Meron na po tayong mga nakasuhan diyan for violating our administrative procedures or ‘yung rule of engagement,” Carlos said.

(If the cases filed to the DOJ prove to be criminal cases, we will charge them accordingly and they will go to trial. The administrative cases against those who were involved are continuous. Some of them were already charged for violating our administrative procedures or rule of engagement.)

In May, the PNP granted the DOJ free access to the records of drug war deaths for the inter-agency panel review. This involved 61 cases where the PNP Internal Affairs Service had found administrative or criminal liability on the part of law enforcement agents.

Asked whether these cops were terminated or are under restrictive custody, Carlos said: “Hindi po. Ang ginagawa natin diyan ay we remove them from their post para hindi ho sila makaimpluwensiya doon sa ginagawang imbestigasyon. Depende ‘yan sa kaso kung kailangan po sila i-restrictive custody, then they should be in restrictive custody. Iba ibang level ‘yan.”

(No. We remove them from their post so that they would not influence the investigations. If they need to be under restrictive custody, then so be it. It depends on the cases as they have different levels.)

The Commission of Human Rights (CHR) has persistently urged the government to uphold the right to life of those involved in drugs by seeking truth behind the numerous murders and other human rights abuses in the country due to this controversial campaign.

“We must continue to assert the value of human life and dignity, and cease regarding others as mere collateral damages in pursuit of public peace,” CHR spokeswoman Jacqueline de Guia said.

This statement followed the fourth death anniversary of Kian delos Santos who was shot dead by policemen during an anti-drug operation. He allegedly fought back, but the CCTV footage showed cops dragging the then 17-year-old to a dark alley where he was later found dead.

The three policemen who were involved in this were convicted of murder and sentenced to up to 40 years in prison.

Due to this and other more reported deaths linked to the drug war, the Duterte administration also currently faces investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.  — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA News