De Lima calls for probe on Tacorda's claim of alleged abuses in war on drugs

Senator Leila de Lima on Thursday called for a Senate investigation on the claims of former police officer PO1 Vincent Tacorda who resigned saying he could no longer stomach the alleged illegal activities of his colleagues, such as extrajudicial killings, corruption, and the planting of evidence in the government's war on drugs.

De Lima filed Senate Resolution No. 358 directing the appropriate committee at the Senate to look into Tacorda's revelation.

“There is a need for the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to determine the culpability of the police officers involved in the reported irregularities,” de Lima said in a news release.

“Given the appalling numbers of extrajudicial killings and summary executions under this administration, it is imperative to check if there are abuses and excesses in the exercise of authority of law enforcement units, and to ensure that due process and rule of law are always upheld,” she added.

Tacorda, a former policeman in Catanduanes, tendered his resignation in April.

In his resignation letter, Tacorda said: "I have tried my best to deliver what is expected from a police officer. It is just sad and with great dismay that the same organization did not do me the justice I expect to be accorded in return of my zeal and fervor for public service."

He also accused former Catanduanes Police Chief Supt. Jesus Martinez and former Viga Officer-in-Charge Senior Inspector Nathaniel Jacob of ordering him to kill suspected drug pusher Samuel Rojas in Viga, Catanduanes.

Tacorda also said that Martinez had allegedly ordered them not to declare the amount and worth of seized illegal drugs during operations if it is too huge.

De Lima pointed out that Tacorda also alleged that when a certain Manuel “Galog” Huit Jr. was arrested, the seized shabu worth more than P1 million was replaced with “tawas” upon turnover of evidence to police authorities.

“Such irregularities, if proven correct, violate the very core of good governance in the Constitution, as Article II, Section 27 provides that the state shall maintain honesty, and integrity in the public service,” she said.

De Lima said that Tacorda's "public confession" will serve as one of the "missing links" that would prove the alleged extrajudicial killings in the drug war are indeed state-sponsored, with President Duterte as mastermind.

According to De Lima, at least 8,000 have been killed since Duterte took over as President in June 30, 2016, in which more than half of these deaths remain under investigation.

Philippine National Police figures show that as of March 30, 2017, legitimate police operations have led to the deaths of more than 2,600 drug personalities since July 1, 2016 when its war on drugs started under the Duterte administration.

Its statistics also point to more than 6,000 deaths under investigation—including those involving drug suspects—for the same period. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG, GMA News