Drilon sees cover-up of Supt. Marcos’ liability
Although it was not an outright order, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald dela Rosa followed the insinuation of President Duterte during their frequent meetings that the PNP should reinstate the controversial Leyte policemen led
by Superintendent Marvin Marcos because the courts have not yet decided on the criminal charges arising from the killing last year of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa.
“I took it as an order from my boss (President Duterte),” Dela Rosa yesterday told the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee chaired by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson during a public hearing on why he had followed the intimation of the President to put Marcos and his fellow policemen on full duty status.
Dela Rosa told senators the President had told him that the services of Marcos and 18 other cops should temporarily be tapped as government continues to pay for their salaries.
And because the PNP lacks personnel, he agreed.
Asked by Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV whether the PNP is demoralized as a result of the reinstatement of Marcos and company, Dela Rosa stressed the morale of the PNP rank and file is high because the President has kept his word that he would protect them provided they do their duty.
Aquino, however, sees something wrong with the Marcos affair because the signal being given is that an err- ing policeman would get protection because he is “strong at high levels.”
He also rued that the Marcos affair erodes the credibility of the country’s national police force.
Triple whammy The downgrading by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of the original charge of premeditated murder to homicide against Marcos et al triggered a firestorm, particularly from Lacson, a former PNP chief because it ignored the findings of the senate that the Espinosa-Yap slay was “premeditated with grave abuse of authority.”
Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III said he is keeping a low profile on the issue because Espinosa is a suspected drug lord and there is a possible violation of law.
But National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Dante Gierran told senators the NBI is sticking to its findings that Marcos and 18 other policemen should be charged with premeditated murder.
Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Lilian Doris S. Alejo and other state prosecutors are standing by their murder complaint. And Sen. Grace Poe commended Alejo and her panel for this.
In a statement he read to formally start the hearing yesterday, Lacon said more ruthless than the EspinosaYap are:
* The DOJ resolution dated May 29, 2017 signed by Undersecretary Reynante Orceo, dismissing the complaint for murder and downgrading it to homicide which had been filed with a Leyte regional trial court.
* PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) resolution slapping a four-month suspension against Supt. Marcos, one rank demotion and six-month suspension for the others;
* Granting back-to-duty status to Marcos as Regional Director of CIDG Region 12 from Region 8.
Lacson said “this triple whammy of ruthless acts elicited public outrage and disgust among legislators from both houses of Congress (and) there is no saying that we do not respect our courts and their mandate to ensure the administration of justice, however, we cannot turn a blind eye to apparent irregularities duly reported.”
“My bigger concern, and this is personal, having come from the same police force that I value and love so dearly is the far-reaching implication of this whole scenario to the morale and discipline among the police ranks that could impact on their efficiency and performance to the detriment of the overall peace and order situation in our country,’’ he added.
Conspiracy to cover-up During the hearing, Orceo told the Senate committee that it was him alone who downgraded the charges against Marcos et al. And Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, a former Justice secretary found Orceo’s assertion “incredible.”
“The hearing showed that there’s a cover-up. If anything, the hearing this morning proved that there’s a cover-up on the liability of Marcos,” Drilon told reporters at the sidelines of the hearing.
“Instead of being able to explain what happened, it is obvious from the hearing today that there’s a deliberate cover-up to allow Marcos and his group to be reinstated and to allow Marcos and his group to be able to post bail. To me, what the hearing today confirms is a conspiracy to cover-up,” Drilon added.
Drilon said he found it illogical for Orceo to draft a decision without the knowledge of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.
“We will still study that. I’m not coming to a conclusion, but if there is basis, I would not hesitate to recommend to the committee that we file an anti-graft case against Orceo. At the very least, because obviously, he’s lying. His testimony is not credible, at all. It’s part of the cover-up,” he said.
“Yes. The statements of Orceo are not credible and therefore, there is obviously a basis to question this in an appropriate forum,” the minority leader added.
“I do not want to make conclusions at this point. I am basing my assessment on the basis of what I’ve heard… Maniniwala ba kayo na ang ginawa ni Orceo ay walang basbas ng kaniyang sekretaryo? Maniniwala ba kayo that Orceo did this on his own? Is it credible?” he pointed out.
The Orceo factor came into play when Aguirre revised a DOJ circular where he allowed his undersecretaries to revise, modify, amend or reverse the findings of DOJ panel of prosecutors.
In an interview after the hearing, Dela Rosa said, “I don’tsee any cover up.”
“All cases were filed (against these cops). How could there be a cover up? We followed due process. Maybe if cases weren’t filed there would be a cover up but I don’t see any cover up,” he added.
Dela Rosa also clarified that Marcos was not reinstated but reassigned and brought back to “full duty status” which meant that he could be assigned “anywhere.”
“First of all we must clarify that they’re acquitted from their crimes. The decision we rendered was a suspension. I want to make it clear that there was no reinstatement only restoration to full duty status,” Dela Rosa stressed. (With a report from PNA)