20 cops in PDEA agent’s death face murder raps

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Twenty policemen of the Sibalom Police Station and the Antique Police Provincial Office’s Drug Enforcement Unit were criminally charged for the death of an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-6 during an anti-narcotics operation last June 20.

National Bureau of Investigation-6 Regional Director Max Salvador yesterday confirmed that the bureau filed last week at the Antique Provincial Prosecutors Office a murder case against Senior Inspector Clark Philip Dinco and his 19 policemen.

"Well, if you kill a person, that is homicide. If you're a law enforcer, it’s murder. If you say self-defense, so be it," Salvador was quoted to have said.

Salvador said the NBI-6 investigation showed probable cause in filing a murder case against two policemen “involved” over the death of Macario Grasparil, a PDEA-6 operative. "I don't know if it's well planned but evidence gathered shows that it is going that way," he added.

Meanwhile, Dinco said yesterday they have yet to receive any document relative to the filing of the case. "Actually, ang nalaman ko po ay nag-file na sila (NBI) ng murder case pero as of now po wala pa naman kaming nare-receive. Inaantay ko din po para makapag-counter kami," he said in a text message to The Freeman.

When asked if they were surprised over the filing of the case, Dinco said: "No, not at all. Kakambal na ng pulis na nagta trabaho ang magkakaso. Lalo pa't malaking tao 'tong pamilya ni Cayo (Grasparil). Sabi nga nila sa presscon ay prominente sila 'di ba? Syempre gagamitin nila 'yung lahat ng koneksyon na meron sila para mapalabas na inosente si Cayo."

Dinco further insisted that the people of Sibalom and the whole Antique Police know Grasparil's personality and his alleged connection with illegal drugs. But was he really involved in illegal drugs?

Immediately after Grasparil's death, the Sibalom Police tagged the slain agent of being involved in the recycling of seized illegal drugs.

Grasparil, who was in his 40s, and a resident of District 1 in Sibalom, Antique, was killed in an operation led by the Sibalom Police and the Antique Police PDEU at 4:15 p.m. of June 20 at Barangay San Juan. Based on police records, he was on its watchlist as a high-value target (HVT).

Dinco said Grasparil also sourced his supply from the Prevendido Drug Group, which leader, Richard Prevendido—tagged as Western Visayas' top drug personality—was also killed in a police operation on September 1.

Levi Ortiz, PDEA-6 assistant regional director at the time, also confirmed that Grasparil was an active PDEA agent. But he admitted that his office received reports of Grasparil’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Ortiz claimed that they conducted an investigation into Grasparil, but no evidence came out to pin him down. He added that he would ask the NBI, through Grasparil's family, for the conduct of an impartial investigation surrounding his death.

Grasparil is the 30th fatality in Western Visayas since the government started its aggressive anti-drug war. (FREEMAN)