A police officer tagged by former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma in the slay of Tanauan, Batangas mayor Antonio Halili is assigned currently at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO).
The disclosure made by Garma is part of the congressional investigation on alleged extra-judicial killings (EJK) perpetrated during former president Duterte's administration's war on drugs.
The police officer identified as Police Captain Kenneth Paul Albotra has not issued a statement yet on the accusation.
Police Lt. Col. Christian Torres, LLCPO spokesperson, confirmed that on October 7, 2024, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 sent a memorandum on the reassignment of P/Captain Albotra at LLCPO from the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), but has not been given a clear assignment yet.
As Police Colonel Dyan Agustin is still on officer-in-charge capacity, it is the PRO 7 that has the sole authority to release an order as to which specific unit will Albotra be assigned.
“Waiting unta siya [nga] matagaan og order,” Lt. Col. Torres said.
According to Torres, it is only in 2024 that Camp Crame had Albotra’s rank as police major cancelled. He obtained the said rank in 2016. He takes on his past rank as police captain.
Albotra is a member of Batch 2006 of the Philippine National Police Academy.
Garma, a retired police colonel who served as former police director of Cebu City, revealed during a Congressional quad committee hearing on Friday, October 11, 2024, that the police major who boasted allegedly of his involvement in the shooting to death of Halili in 2018 is assigned in Region 7 (Central Visayas).
When Garma was further asked of the identity of the police officer, he dropped the name of “Police Major Albotra.”
She surmised that the police officer could have had the rank of lieutenant colonel.
PRO 7 spokesperson, Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, said that his office is prepared to coordinate with the House of Representatives in the ongoing investigation.
Pelare pointed out that the current issues have not affected the police force in the region. He said that their focus is always on carrying out their responsibilities to ensure that the best interest of the people is always considered.
