Lacson: Cops should face raps if EJK death certificates were faked

PILAR, Capiz - Policemen who were involved in the alleged "faked" death certificates of extra-judicial killing (EJK) victims should face charges before the courts, presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday.

"'Yung kay Doctor [Raquel] Fortun, it's a matter of evidence. Kung maba-validate 'yon, of course, considered expert naman siya sa field and an expert's testimony is valid pagdating sa court. So kung may ganong findings, they should present it and corresponding charges should be filed against the policemen concerned," Lacson said in a press conference when asked about the report of forensic expert, Dr. Raquel Fortun, released last week.

(The findings of Doctor Fortun, it's a matter of evidence. If these findings will be validated, they should present it before the court and corresponding charges should be filed against the policemen concerned.)

Lacson, a former chief of the Philippine National Police, said these policemen could be identified based on the records of the operations that were conducted.

"Kasi may tracer naman 'yan. Mate-trace naman sa record kung sino gumawa ng operations, sino ang involved sa particular operations na yon. Kung may ganun talagang violations, it's a good preventive step para mawala yung EJK kasi parang ang kasibahan na the long arm of the law will catch up with you no matter how long. Mabuti rin 'yon kung maba-validate talaga," he said.

(There is a tracer that will show who was involved in a particular operation. If there are violations, it's a good preventive step to eradicate the problem of EJK. As we say, the long arm of the law will catch up with you no matter how long. It is good if the findings will be validated.)

"Kung mag-ho-hold water yon mas maganda mag-file na ng kaso against those policemen involved," he added.

(If these will hold water, then it is good if they will file cases against those policemen involved.)

Forensic expert Raquel Fortun, who has been examining exhumed remains of drug war victims since last July, presented her findings after investigating 46 individuals who were killed in the first year of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

Of the 46 cases, one case had a missing death certificate while other certificates were incomplete, Fortun said in a media briefing.

Seven death certificates said the victims died of natural causes like sepsis, pneumonia, and hypertension, she said.

The Philippine National Police said it would validate the alleged falsification of  government drug war death certificates. — DVM, GMA News