DOJ to review more drug war cases in the coming months

A Justice official said Wednesday the 52 drug war cases reviewed by the agency were just part of the first batch and more will be probed in the coming months as the Philippine National Police vowed to submit more records and files.

“Nabanggit na rin ito ni PNP chief (Guillermo Eleazar)… na they will be turning over or making available, at the very least, ‘yung iba pang records. Medyo marami-rami pa ‘yan. This is just the initial batch,” Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

He said there were deaths in other areas that were still not included.

“Kung mapapansin ninyo nga, kung titignan niyo, ‘yung listahan, wala nga dito ‘yung Visayas areas. Meron isa sa NCR lang,” Sugay said.

(If you’ll notice, there are no areas in Visayas in the list.)

“[M]arami pang hindi covered, no? So magkakaroon pa ‘yan ng pag-aaral at pagre-review ng ibang case folders, case files na ‘yan in the coming months,” he added.

(There are more areas that are not yet covered. So there will be a review of other case folders, case files in the coming months.)

The DOJ released Wednesday the summaries of 52 drug war cases it reviewed. It said that several suspects who allegedly fired first at police officers were found negative for gunpowder nitrates.

It also noted that cases where the suspects supposedly fired first did not have ballistics, paraffin, or autopsy results on record.

In other police operations, the DOJ observed lapses in connection with the implementation of the search warrant as well as failure to take photographs of the incident prior to turnover to the SOCO team.

The review also showed the cops found guilty of grave irregularity in the performance of duty but were only given a reprimand but the DOJ said it is leaving it up to the PNP-Internal Affairs Service to impose the appropriate administrative penalty

“‘Yun ‘yung nakita namin sa record na whether or not 'yan ba ang nararapat o karampatang administrative na penalty para dito sa nangyari, I think that is something that you will have to leave to the Internal Affairs Service ng PNP,”  Sugay said.

(Those are the records but as to what is the right administrative penalty for what happened, I think that is something that you will have to leave to the Internal Affairs Service of the PNP.)

“At sila na ang tingin ko dapat sumagot diyan ?(I think they should answer that),” he added.

According to the DOJ, the incidents are set to undergo further investigation and case buildup by the National Bureau of Investigation for the possible filing of criminal charges against erring police officers.

PNP chief Eleazar earlier welcomed the release of the review, saying it is consistent with the PNP’s stand for transparency and accountability.

He also called on the victims to cooperate in holding policemen who committed abuses accountable for their actions.

At the same time, he appealed to the public to remember that many policemen risk their lives in order to confiscate illegal drugs.—AOL, GMA News