Marantan, lead cop in 2013 Atimonan ‘rubout’ case, named Davao City acting police chief

Police Colonel Hansel Marantan, the policeman implicated in an alleged rubout case in Atimonan, Quezon, in 2013, has been appointed acting chief of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO).

Marantan's appointment on Wednesday marked the third time DCPO changed leadership in a day.

According to PRO 11 spokesperson Police Major Catherine dela Rey, the leadership was transferred first to Police Colonel Lito Patay then to Police Colonel Sherwin Butil then finally to Marantan. 

Dela Rey told GMA News Online that Marantan's appointment was upon the directive of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rommel Marbil.

"Ang order ni Sir Patay as officer-in-charge of DCPO ay effective July 8 po, Monday. Pero umupo po siya as officer-in-charge ng DCPO ay July 10, kahapon po," Dela Ray said.

(The order for Sir Patay's designation as DCPO officer-in-charge is effective July 8, Monday. But he assumed the post on July 10, yesterday.)

Patay held a command conference with the new 19 police station commanders of the city, but during the meeting, he was informed that his designation had been terminated.

"During po ng command conference po niya, nakatanggap po siya ng directive na na-terminate yung designation niya ay OIC at ang pinalit naman po ay si Colonel Sherwin Butil," Dela Rey said.

(During his command conference, he received a directive that his designation as OIC was terminated and his replacement was Colonel Sherwin Butil.)

Dela Rey said the Police Regional Office-11 (PRO 11) then received a directive from Marbil instructing Regional Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III to install Marantan as the acting director of the Davao City Police.

“Tapos after po nun, ilang oras lang po, may natanggap kami na directive from the National Headquarters, kay Chief PNP, directing our Regional Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III to designate Police Colonel Hansel Marantan as the acting director,” Dela Rey said.

(Then after that, just a few hours later, we received a directive from the National Headquarters, from Chief PNP, directing our Regional Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III to designate Police Colonel Hansel Marantan as the acting director.)

Dela Rey said she cannot tell the reason behind the consecutive replacements of Davao City Police chief.

Marantan and 12 other policemen were ordered dismissed from service in April 2014 in connection with the alleged Atimonan rubout in January 2013. He was ordered reinstated in 2017 after the appellate board of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) granted his appeal.

Marantan and the 12 other police officers were found guilty of serious irregularity in the performance of duty, according to a March 5, 2014 decision signed by then-PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima.

Twelve people, including environmentalist Jun Lontok, were killed in what the respondents claimed was a legitimate shootout against criminal elements but was later ruled by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as a rubout.

Marantan was wounded in the incident.

In 2023, Marantan, as head of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the National Capital Region, was instrumental in the enforcement of search warrants on the home and land property of fugitive lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr., the alleged mastermind in the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.  —KBK, GMA Integrated News