2 dismissed cops claim being 'framed' during Duterte's drug war

Two former police officers on Tuesday accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) and their superiors of framing them up during former President Rodrigo Duterte's war against illegal drugs.

Former Police Officers 1 Marco Almario of Zambales, Provincial Police Office (PPO) and Sonny Reyes of Quezon City Police District Station 11 told the House public order and safety panel that their fellow police officers planted illegal drugs and guns, which resulted in criminal charges. 

They said that because of the charges, they were eventually dismissed from service. 

“I am a victim, your honor. Inaresto po ako sa station namin then forcibly, pinunta niya ako sa prison cell. Tinaniman po ako ng illegal drugs saka baril po, your honor,” said Almario, who was nabbed in October 2016.

(I was arrested inside our station, forced into prison. They planted illegal drugs and a gun on me.)

Almario alleged that his superior at the Zambales PPO that time was the one behind the "bogus" drug charges against him.

Almario emphasized that he was not on the drug list and that he appealed his administrative dismissal after the criminal case against him was dismissed.

“I filed memorandum of appeal [on my dismissal]... Dismissed na po iyong criminal cases,” Almario said. 

(Criminal charges against me were dismissed.)

Reyes, meanwhile, was charged after he went after a neighbor who was pretending to be a police officer.

“Drugs at baril, tinaniman po nila ako. Meron pong nagpapanggap na pulis doon sa huling lamay po ng kapitbahay namin... Nagpatawag po ako ng assistance sa pulis, tinurn over ko po sa kanila,” Reyes, who was arrested in 2017, said.

(They planted drugs and a gun on me. I just helped a neighbor deal with a person pretending to be a police officer. I asked for police assistance and turned him over to my colleagues.)

Reyes later found out that the person pretending to be cop was a police informant who he believed connived with his superiors.

“Sabi sa akin po, sumunod daw po ako sa presinto para makapagsampa ng kaso. Pero nung pagdating po namin sa presinto sa Police Station 11 ng Quezon City, kami na po ang binaligtad. Kinulong po kami. Napag-alaman po namin na ‘yung taong ‘yun eh asset po ng Police Station 11," he added.

(I was told I should go to the precinct too so I can file charges, but when I arrived, tables were turned against us and we were detained.  Apparently the pretender is a police asset of that station.)

"Ang masakit po nga po yan, pati po yung mga anak ko, dinamay po nila. Apat po kami nakulong na mag-aama.”

(What's worse is that even my children were detained with me.)

Reyes said his children faced robbery and hold-up charges.

“Na-dismiss naman naman po lahat ng pinatong nila sa aking kaso. Abswelto po ako. Pero iyong administrative charges, doon po ako na dismiss po [dahil sa ikinasong kriminal sa akin],” Reyes said.

(All those charges were dismissed. I was cleared. But as for the administrative charges stemming from those criminal charges, I was dismissed.)

Representatives of the PNP were present during the two former policemen made their accusations. 

IAS

House public order and safety panel chairperson and Santa Rosa, Laguna Representative Dan Fernandez then called on the PNP's Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to review such cases.

“These are the cases that we have to look into again. We need to validate if the charges filed against them were indeed committed by them. Nakakaawa [sila],” Fernandez said.

(Their situation is pitiful)

“Mga mga sitwasyon talaga na nakakaawa iyong mga pulis na, for example, sabihin natin na hindi sila talaga involved [sa krimen]. Wala silang perang pang tanggol sa sarili nila. Naapektuhan siya at ang pamilya niya, career, reputasyon, dignidad niya. Nakakalungkot,” Fernandez added.

(There are these situations wherein the police are not really involved in the crime and they don't have a lot of financial resources for their legal battle. Meanwhile, his career, reputation and dignity are tarnished, and themselves and their families suffer.) 

Misamis Oriental Representative Yevgeny Emano, meanwhile, suggested funding for the PNP-IAS which investigates alleged erring police officers should not be under the PNP. He also suggested that IAS findings should not be subject to the approval of the PNP chief to ensure neutrality.

Lawyer Brigido Dulay of the PNP’s IAS agreed with Emano.

“He (Emano) is correct. It will be really better for us to have our own funding, so there will be a clearer coordination between the IAS and the National Police Commission given that the IAS has the authority to investigate motu propio, meaning we can investigate even without a complainant. In the case of Napolcom, they need a complainant before they can take action,” Dulay said.

House probe

The motu proprio congressional investigation centers on police officers facing administrative and criminal cases over Duterte’s war on drugs.

Fernandez over the weekend pointed out that Duterte made a public statement on "taking full responsibility" for the effects of the war on drugs.

“Di ‘ba may pronouncement ang Presidente (Duterte) na, me alone will be responsible for the effects of the war on drugs now na nangyari sa kanila to, so sino ang tutulong kanila?” he asked.

(Didn't the President not make a pronouncement that ‘I alone will be responsible for the effects of the war on drugs’? Now that this has happened to them, who will help them?)

“Sabi nga ni Chief PNP (PNP chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil) maraming mga pulis ang mga na-dismiss, 195 yung mga na-dismiss tapos 398 facing dismissal,” Fernandez said.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News