In Central Visayas:CHR to probe around 300 ‘extra-judicial’ killings

CEBU, Philippines - Around 300 suspected extra-judicial killings are being monitored in Central Visayas since May 22 this year – a sharp rise in number compared to just two to three cases that the Commission on Human Rights usually recorded annually.

CHR-7 Chief Investigator Leo Villarino, however, said there are only eight cases that are docketed for full investigation, or those whose interested parties have formally filed a complaint at their office.

With the creation of the Task Force on Extra-Judicial Killings, he said the CHR has an added burden, as the body is required to dispose of these cases within 60 days. He feared the new rules may result to "half-baked" investigations since they only have a limited number of personnel.

The 300 cases were identified based on news reports of so-called legitimate police operations, the latest of which was in a northern Cebu town. Villarino said the CHR also noted that these cases are mostly in Cebu City and Cebu province.

One of docketed cases however did not wait for the CHR to finish its investigation and subsequent recommendations.

 Villarino said Patricia Cedeño, whose son, 22-year-old Jerald, was allegedly murdered by two Cebu City policemen at their home in Mohon, Barangay Tisa, in Cebu City last July 23 has filed criminal and administrative complaints before the Ombudsman against the two officers.

Villarino said that contrary to reports, they have not recommended yet that a formal case be filed in court or in any quasi-judicial bodies as they have not finish their investigations.

But on September 21, Patricia filed a complaint against Senior Police Officer 2 Renante Nioda and Police Officer 2 Arnold Cabildo. It may be considered as one of the first extra-judicial killing complaints filed in Central Visayas during the Duterte administration.

Nioda and Cabildo are now facing murder and grave abuse and misconduct complaints at the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

In her complaint, Patricia said that at 6 p.m. on July 23, Nioda and Cabildo barged into their house without showing any search warrant or sought permission from her. Both were looking for her son Jerald who was still in the bathroom.

His son was just in his shorts when he got out of the bathroom quickly when he heard the commotion.

"I was then begging to Nioda not to hurt my son. I told him that if my son has committed a crime they should have to arrest him and put him in jail," said Patricia in her sworn statement.

She said the policemen kept on asking her son where he put his gun and Jerald kept on saying he had no gun. The policemen then brought his son outside of their house. But right before she could follow them outside, three shots rang out.

When Patricia went outside, she said she saw her son already bloodied on the ground while the policemen allegedly placed a gun right and a small sachet of suspected shabu beside Jerald's body.

At the Police Regional Office-7, Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño said Nioda, a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) member, and Cabildo, who is with the Cebu City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (CAIDSOTG), have already prepared their response to the complaint.

"May counter-affidavit na," Taliño said, adding that the two policemen will submit the documents in due time.

The PRO-7 director said the group of retired Court of Appeals justice Isaias Dicdican, which offered free legal service to the Central Visayas police force, would assist Nioda and Cabildo, who are facing murder and grave misconduct complaints.

Taliño said that while they do not tolerate extra-judicial killings, which is against the law, he is standing by the two policemen's claim that Jerald's death was a result of a legitimate operation, which he said was supported by documents.

"We will support them," he said, further saying that police officers should not be scared and discouraged because the leadership of the national government as well as of the Philippine National Police are there to fully support all their acts done in the line of duty.

 For Villarino, though, the complaint Patricia filed did not have CHR's prior recommendation and that their investigation is still pending because they were still looking for other witnesses who would corroborate her statement.

"It is upon the initiative of the complainant to file a complaint without waiting for the findings from CHR-7. We cannot stop or prevent the complainant from filing a complaint on her own before other agencies… She only availed with other legal remedies," said Villarino.

He said their investigation will still continue to determine whether Nioda and Cabildo committed a human rights violation in killing Jerald.

"But again, we believe that it is necessary that the filing should have been after the (CHR) investigation," said Villarino.

"We cannot say at what stage where we are right now. What I can tell you is the investigation has not yet been completed. We are still building up the case," he added. (FREEMAN)