Senate panel cites in contempt cop who 'rejected' blotter report of political killing victim in Negros Oriental

The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on Tuesday cited in contempt a police officer who allegedly refused to accept the blotter report of a political killing victim in Negros Oriental, Juwim Estinoso, who was also a political ally of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

It was Senator Jinggoy Estrada who moved to cite PSSG. Renevic Rizaldo, desk officer of Bawayan, Negros Oriental police after he repeatedly denied rejecting Estinoso’s report about threats to his life.

Rizaldo said he cannot remember if Estinoso went to him to report about his situation because of the numerous individuals who have been in the station.

Estrada’s motion was seconded by Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.

"Naririto ang ating mga witnesses at nakita natin na nagsisinungaling talaga siya at ang loyalty niya ay doon talaga sa kanyang amo at hindi sa kanyang uniporme," Revilla said.

(The witnesses are here, and it seems that he is lying. His loyalty is really to his "boss" and not as a police officer.)

Rizaldo was a former security personnel of suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr., who is being implicated in political killings in the province, including that of Degamo.

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, chairman of the panel, approved the motion and ordered the detention of Rizaldo within the Senate premises.

“If there is selective justice in Negros Oriental, there is selective memory of Police Staff Sergeant Renevic Rizaldo,” Dela Rosa quipped.

Wilfred Estinoso, the father of Juwim, was present in the Senate investigation into the Degamo killing and shared that his son went to the police station to file a blotter report about the threats that he had received. However, Juwim was supposedly dismissed and was told by Rizaldo that it was just his hallucinating.

Juwim was shot dead on November 7,2022. —VAL, GMA Integrated News