Punchline
2,000 EJKs? Not by police
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
THE Senate inquiry called by the committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, into the killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte, confirmed to me what I thought were the true facts behind the alleged extra judicial killings in the country.
I refer to the more than 2,000 reported deaths across the country perpetrated by “unidentified hitmen,” not the 1,000 plus drug personalities killed in legitimate police operations. Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes have been insisting that the perpetrators are in fact, policemen.
So far, given all the circumstances revealed and asserted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of Region 8, explaining how and why Espinosa was killed in his cell inside the sub-provincial jail in Babay City, point to a bungled operation by amateurs. Why bungled? Because they failed to reasonably extricate themselves from the suspicion that it was a conspiratorial plan to murder Espinosa.
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CUT-AND-PASTE. The operational plans they shared with the committee were like a cut-and-paste operation that didn’t require much studied thoughts to justify their plan. They even failed to demonstrate that they learned from news accounts of recent police operations conducted inside the New Bilibid Prison.
For instance, how could they have thought of justifying the use of a search warrant for that small provincial jail just to seize one gun and several sachets containing shabu when their counterparts in Metro Manila never bothered to secure a search warrant inside the New Bilibid Prison, and yet were able to seize bundles of shabu and all sorts of blades and guns and luxury items at will? Since when was a search warrant needed to enter a controlled police facility, like a jail?
Didn’t they think for a moment that the jail guards, and the inmates will talk about the shoddy treatment planned for them, i.e., making them kneel facing the wall with their hands over their heads? From news accounts, the NPAs that regularly raid police stations do much better, running off with the stations’ assault weapons and leaving no trace with only a dozen of them.
Did they also think for a moment that the mere say so of the 24 cops that raided the jail that they will be regarded as heroes for eliminating an evil, dangerous man like Mayor Espinosa even under any circumstance?
The more I listened to the conflicting accounts of the main players of the operation, the more I was convinced that our police could not have been capable of directing the elimination of the 2,000 drug dealers gangland style.
So if the government is looking for the most credible explanation to serve to the UN special rapporteur on human rights violations, to convince her that it is not the police but drug and criminal syndicates that are behind the 2,000 killings, it should showcase this particular bungled operation. It is perfect because the policemen involved in the Espinosa caper are sanctioned and charged, the elements that don’t make a killing, extra-judicial.
I just hope and pray, we have more police officers who are far more intelligent than the 24 assigned in Region 8 that planned the liquidation of Espinosa.
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EXTENSION AFTER EXTENSION. Here we go again with the illegal fish pens. The pen owners again asked the City Agriculture Office (CAO) another grace period to allow them to harvest their illegal produce with the promise that they will voluntarily dismantle their structures soon after they complete the harvest.
Another extension after two weeks past the October 30 deadline? Boy, they must really enjoy solid backing from the CAO to think they can get away with it again, like they always did since 2013! It’s the same situation that frustrates the members of the Task Force Bantay Ilog. They were always held back by CAO from demolishing the illegal fish pens given the oft-repeated promises to dismantle after scheduled harvests. To their consternation, the TF always found the same fish pen owners restocking their pens instead of dismantling after harvesting!
And did the CAO do anything to sanction the habitual violators of the ordinance? No. It conveniently invokes the template alibi that it does not have enough manpower and boats to demolish all the fish pens. Since these same fish pens remain standing today with the same promise, many are wont to ask: What do these owners always promise the CAO in return? A million a year?
We have a serious case of suspected graft and corruption involving a department head but curiously, the city council still refuses to investigate. Perhaps the Ombudsman will do the city a good turn if the councilors won’t.
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WATCHDOG ROLE. The attempt to silence broadcaster and columnist Vir Maganes could very well have a chilling effect on the media practice in Pangasinan. But it should not!
When media practice are threatened by politicians or businessmen, clearly like in the case of Maganes, the norm to be critical responsibly about corruption and illegal activities in print and over the airwaves, must not, should not stop. I underscore the word ‘responsibly’ because it is that which can spell the difference for us to be able continue our mission as journalists for as long as we can.
In short, the observance of ethical practice while being critical is what most enemies of the press freedom and free speech have difficulties dealing with. The subjects of the critical commentaries know too well they easily become the prime suspects if the responsible commentator/columnist is murdered.
Nothing must stop or affect the watchdog role of media.
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KAPITANS’ PROTECTORS. News of the arrests of the four barangay kapitans in Bayambang suspected to be involved in illegal drug trade did not come as a surprise to many. In fact, the question that easily came to mind was, “Why only them?” It is public knowledge that many kapitans continue to be protected by mayors and police chiefs or their personnel.
For instance, sources in Sta. Barbara, home to Liga ng mga Barangay Federation president Jinky Zaplan, tell me that the town has its own share of kapitans in the illegal drug trade. Who’s protecting them? Why haven’t the promised drug tests for the barangay officials in the town taken place?
So what the kapitans’ arrests in Bayambang are telling us today is that the usual drug suspects who lorded it over the town have lost their protectors! My sources told me that one of those arrested besides the four kapitans is, in fact, a consultant to Mayor Cesar Quiambao. That being the case, I’m inclined to believe that the town’s new mayor is nobody’s drug protector because he allowed the arrests. But if he is reported to be interceding for them behind the scenes, then I stand corrected.
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CERTAIN EMBARRASSMENT. Which reminds me. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously adopted BM Zaplan’s resolution in September requiring all barangay kapitans to take the drug tests under the supervision of the police. Since there has been no serious effort to make it happen, it does seem that the resolution was meant merely to pay lip service to the war on drugs. Tsk-tsk.
It would, therefore, be to the interest and benefit of VG Ferdie Calimlim if he creates an oversight committee that will monitor the implementation of that resolution. Its immediate implementation will save the Espino administration from certain embarrassment of being told that later that more than 30% of the province’s kapitans are involved in the illegal drug trade right under Guv Pogi’s nose.
I strongly suggest that the Espino administration, specifically the SP that adopted the resolution, to take the initiative to cleanse the ranks of barangay officials before it’s too late for damage control.
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