PRO-7: Businessmen will not get special treatment

Inspite P1M donation

CEBU, Philippines — The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 has assured it will not give any special treatment to businessmen who have pooled in P1 million as legal aid to the police.

"No special treatment. Even if they are businessmen and they commit a crime, we will still enforce the law," PRO-7 Spokesman Reyman Tolentin said in a press conference yesterday.

PRO-7, in a press statement, said the money is intended for cops who are charged with any administrative and criminal complaint in relation to the performance of anti-criminality operations.

He added that the money will help those facing charges.

"It is important for a policeman to have a legal support to defray expenses of a lawyer. Wala ta kwarta ika-afford and we can hardly hire the assistance of a lawyer. Dili sila ma-low morale or mamroblema kay wala sila kwarta," he said.

Tolentin also said that the businessmen did not ask for anything in return.

Based on reports, a cop who has a case would need to prepare at least P150,000 for the acceptance, affidavit draft, and appearance fees and other legal battle-related expenses.

With the recent funding, all expenses previously shouldered by the police officers will be refunded.  However, this would only cover for the cases from July 2016 until present.

At present, over 193 policemen are facing charges in the performance of their duties, majority of which for illegal-drug operations.

Among the 193 police officers are from the Carbon Police Station, who were charged in relation to the death of four-year-old Skyler Abatayo in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City last July 10.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-7), through its former director Patricio Bernales, filed the criminal and administrative complaints against Police Senior Inspector John Kareen Escober, who led the operation; Police Officers 1 Wilbert Perez; and Rey Van Dadula of Carbon police station, over Skyler’s death.

The filing of the cases against these policemen did not sit well with Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma, who said the filing demoralized the police force.

PRO-7 Chief Debold Sinas said that since the NBI-7 has a new regional director, it would be better to connect and have coordination with them so as not to raise doubts of division among law enforcers. (FREEMAN)