Makabayan bloc wants probe on lack of inquest proceedings for police in anti-drug ops

The Makabayan bloc is urging the House of Representatives to probe the supposed lack of inquest proceedings for police officers involved in anti-drug operations.

In House Resolution 440, the progressive lawmakers want the House Committee on Public Order and Safety to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation into the "gross violation" of police officers and members of Chapter 3, Rule 15.4 of the Revised Philippine National Police (PNP) Operational Procedures Manual on the conduct of its anti-crime campaigns.

The rule states that when a suspect dies during an armed confrontation, the Team Leader should submit the incident for inquest before the duty Inquest Prosecutor prior to the removal of the body from the scene.

However, as extracted by Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate from the budget deliberations of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, only 253 police officers and members involved in anti-drug operations which killed 5,793 suspects had been subjected to inquest proceedings.

Of this figure, only 150 officers were brought to an inquest prosecutor on charges of killing a drug suspects, while 103 had been charged in court.

Meanwhile, only 594 police officers were administratively charged in relation to the drug killings.

"The lack of inquest proceedings for cops involved in Tokhang operations may also be part of the ninja cops modus because who would speak up when the supposed suspect is already dead and the cops who killed him would not be investigated," said Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite.

"As it is, there are clear violations by the PNP -- both the responsible officers and members -- of their own investigation procedures as contained in the operations manual, thus, putting into serious question the supposed regularity of the anti-criminality and anti-drug operations of the Duterte administration," he added.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Eufemia Cullamat, for her part, urged former PNP chief Police General Oscar Albayalde to speak up and reveal the whole truth on the so-called ninja cops as she believes that police chiefs before him were also involved in the scheme.

"Mukhang mas mainam para kay Gen. Albayalde na pangalanan na ang mga iba pang kasangkot sa issue ng 'ninja cops.' Isiwalat na din nya yung sinabi nyang magtatanggol sa kanya sa imbestigasyon ng Senado pero biglang nawala," she said.

"Marapat talaga na maimbestigahan na ng buo ang mga anomalya sa PNP dahil ang mamamayan ang nagpapasweldo sa kanila at dinoble pa ang sahod nila pero mga bantay-salakay pala," she added. — RSJ, GMA News