PNP chief Bato: Probe, decision on Supt. Marcos, others not affected by Duterte statements

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Wednesday their investigation and his subsequent decision in connection with the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa were independent of the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Kung babasehan ang pinagsasabi ni President, it has not affected our decision. For the record, he did not call me up to give instructions to absolve or penalize (Senior Superintendent Marvin) Marcos. Hindi siya nakialam,” Dela Rosa said during the Senate hearing on the matter.

Marcos was the director of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 8 when the incident happened. He has since been reassigned to head CIDG Region 12.

President Duterte has repeatedly said that he will pardon Marcos and the other police personnel involved in the case if they will be convicted.

Dela Rosa said that although they know of the president's stand,  it was not what influenced their decision on the case.

“‘Yung sinasabi ni Presidente pinapakinggan natin but the investigation was independent, the decision that I have come up [with] was independent of his pronouncement,” he said.

Based on the recommendation of the IAS (Internal Affairs Service), Marcos was found culpable for grave neglect of duty “and meted the penalty of suspension for four months after considering the attendant mitigating circumstances in his favor.”

Meanwhile, Superintendent Santi Noel Matira, Chief Inspector Leo Laraga, Senior Inspectors Fritz Blanco and Deogracias Diaz III, Senior Police Officers 4 Melvin Cayobit and Juanito Duarte, Senior Police Officer 2  Benjamin Dacallos, Police officers 3 Norman Abellanosa and Johnny Ibanez, Police Officers 1 Bernard Orpilla, Jerian Cabiyaan, and Lloyd Ortiguesa were found guilty of grave misconduct and meted the penalty of one rank demotion except Orpilla, Cabiyaan, and Ortiguesa who were instead meted with a penalty of six months suspension.

Orpilla, Cabiyaan, and Ortiguesa “who occupy the lowest rank in the PNP have rendered the imposition of penalty of demotion to be impossible,” the recommendation states.

The IAS, on the other hand, dismissed the case against SPO2 Alphinor Serrano Jr. of CIDG Region 8; Chief Insp. Calixto Canillas Jr., Senior Insp. Lucrecito Candilosas, SPO2 Antonio Docil, SPO1 Mark Christian Cadilo, PO2 John Ruel Dacolan, and PO2 Jaime Bacsal of PNP Regional Maritime Unit 8 “for lack of substantial evidence to prove their actual participation and or complicity in the commission of the  offenses charged.

Dela Rosa said the decision has yet to be implemented as the respondents have filed a motion for reconsideration. — RSJ/KVD, GMA News