Escudero warns abusive drug war cops: Duterte's term ends in 2022

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Escudero on Monday warned abusive cops in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs that they will eventually be held accountable for irregularities and excesses in the brutal campaign.

Escudero, a member of the Senate majority bloc, made the statement day after the Senate majority condemned and called for a probe into the killing of a 17-year-old boy in Caloocan City last week.

He reminded the likes of Superintendent Marvin Marcos and Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido that President Rodrigo Duterte’s term would end in 2022 after which they could be made to account for the alleged abuses they had committed. Duterte has promised to pardon security personnel charged for obeying his orders.

Escudero said that even abusive police and government officials during the term of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which many thought would not end, were made to answer for their alleged illegal acts.

“Ang paalala ko sa mga pulis na yan tulad ni Col. Marcos at iba pa: Anim na taon lamang ang termino ng sinomang presidente,” Escudero, who belongs to the majority caucus in the Senate, told CNN Philippines.  “Puwede silang sumipsip ngayon, sumunod sa mga sinasabi sa nakakataas sa kanila ngayon. Pero darating at darating yung panahon na pananagutan nila anumang ginawa nila sa ilalim ng administrasyong ito.”

The use of military ranks for police officials despite the existence of equivalent civilian designations dates back to the Philippine Constabulary, a military command.

Escudero was commenting on the latest alleged episode of police brutality after Caloocan City police allegedly gunned down a 17-year-old senior high school student in Caloocan City on Wednesday evening.

On Friday, Escudero and other Duterte allies in the Senate issued strong condemnations of the killings in the conduct of the president’s brutal drug war, an unusual move as the Senate has generally been silent  about the mounting number of deaths. Although hearings were held last year, Sen. Richard Gordon declared there was no evidence that the killings were sanctioned by the state.

Escudero, who lost in his vice presidential bid last year, labeled the police involved in the death of Kian Loyd Delos Santos “killers and criminals.”

He said that Duterte and Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, the chief of the Philippine National Police, should investigate into the death of the boy, whose mother flew home from Saudi Arabia last week for her son's funeral.

The Department of Justice has already ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the circumstances surrounding the death of Delos Santos.

According to Chief Superintendent Oscar Albayalde, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, the three police officers involved in the operation that resulted in Delos Santos' death have already been relieved from their posts. This is not the same as being relieved from service.

 Escudero, a lawyer, said the killing of suspected drug pushers, runners and users is wrong. He emphasized the PNP needs to explain the source of the “planted” guns and illegal drugs found in some crime scenes.

“May sitwasyong ding dapat ipaliwanag ng pulis saan galing yung baril at droga na ginagamit sa pag-planta at saan mapupunta yun,” he explained.

Future administrations can use Senate findings

Escudero also defended the utility of Senate investigations after Duterte disregarded the result of its probe into the suspicious death of former Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa in his detention cell and reinstated Marcos and his men.

The senator said that Senate probe results could be used by future administrations to file cases against abusive cops and government figures.

“I don’t think it’s useless. Panahon lang kung kailan ito talagang masusunod at titimbangin sa hustisya,” he said.

“Ang sa akin gagamitin ito kung hindi man sa ilalim ng administrasyong ito sa susunod na administrasyon bilang basehan ng kasong isasampa sa kanila tulad na lang nung nakita natin sa termino ni dating Pangulong Estrada, ni dating Pangulong Arroyo, ngayon ni dating Pangulong Aquino,” he added.

Caloocan police said that Delos Santos tried to fight arresting policemen and run away, an account disputed by witnesses and a video showing a boy being dragged by arresting authorities.

Delos Santos was later found dead with packets of alleged shabu and a gun.