Filtered By: Topstories
News

Drilon: Bato's defense of 'secret jail' shows culture of impunity in PNP


Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to go after erring cops involved in setting up a hidden jail inside a Tondo police station.

Drilon expressed disappointment with PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa for supposedly justifying the “secret jail,” discovered inside the Manila Police District Station 1 last week, in a surprise inspection conducted there by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Dela Rosa came to the defense of the police, saying, “Ang pulis ko walang ginawang kalokohan.” He also slammed the CHR for conducting the raid during the country’s hosting of the 30th ASEAN Summit.

“I do not see how General Dela Rosa can say that his cops did nothing wrong, when the Constitution and the law is clear that having a secret detention is illegal,” the senator said in a statement.

He said that instead of dismissing the issue, the PNP chief should be “disturbed about the rise of cases of police brutality and abuses under his watch.”

"The PNP Chief should be more circumspect with his statements, as any reckless words from him only convince everyone that there is indeed a culture of impunity in the PNP these days," Drilon said.

"We must uphold the rule of law and serve justice on those responsible for the abuses," he added.

In his statement, the senator and former Justice secretary said putting up the hidden jail was “illegal, inhumane, and outrageous.”

He said it violates Article III of the Constitution, which “explicitly prohibits” secret jails, or other similar forms of detention like solitary or incommunicado, as well as provisions of the Anti-Torture Act of 2009 and the Revised Penal Code.

He said he is alarmed by the “culture of impunity” among the police, also citing other controversies including the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and the “tokhang-for-ransom” scheme, pertaining to the abduction and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/ALG, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT