MANILA, Philippines — Days after a Manila court acquitted him and 11 other police officers of murder charges in connection with the deaths of 13 people in an alleged shootout in Atimonan, Quezon 12 years ago, Col. Hansel Marantan was reassigned to another post.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III on Friday appointed Marantan as chief of the PNP Peace Process and Development Center. The PPDC unifies all peace efforts of the police force in support to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity and other related government agencies.
Marantan earlier asked to be relieved as Davao City police director to have more time to deal with his health issues.
“I am in pain, I have medical conditions that I have to address,” he told Davao-based reporters in an interview.
Marantan said he has 52 metal screws in his body, a titanium spine and had one of his knees replaced.
“In other words, I am a PWD (person with disability), I have been impaired so I think I have to address my situation,” he said.
Marantan sustained injuries during the alleged shootout with suspected members of a gun-for-hire syndicate in Atimonan. He was reassigned to Davao at the height of the manhunt operations against alleged sex offender and Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy.
He was among the five senior police officials who were assigned to new posts in another reshuffle imposed by Torre in the PNP.
Among them is Brig. Gen. Adolfo Rafanan, whom Torre appointed acting deputy director for research and development. Another is Brig. Gen. Marcelo Dayag, the new director of the PNP Training Service.
Col. Santiago Pascual was designated deputy director for administration of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group while Col. Francisco Ebreo was appointed executive officer of the Directorate for Research and Development.