PNP chief defends Duterte's EJK statement, admits some 'bad' cops are into killings
Published Sep 28, 2018 04:59 pm
By Martin Sadongdong
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Friday disclosed that President Duterte's recent remark on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) was just made out of "frustration."
Philippine National Police Chief Director Oscar Albayalde
(Kevin Tristan Espiritu / MANILA BULLETIN) However, Albayalde admitted that some rogue and ninja cops have been implicated in various crimes, including murder, that's why an intensified internal cleansing is being strictly implemented. Duterte, in a speech in Malacañang on Thursday, seemingly admitted his role in extrajudicial killings allegedly being committed under his administration as he stated it was his "only sin," not corruption or others. "I will talk to a political exercise now. What are your sins? Ako? Sabi ko nga sa military, ano kasalanan ko? Nagnakaw ba ako dyan ni piso? Did I prosecute na pinakulong ko? Ang kasalanan ko lang, 'yung mga extrajudicial killings," Duterte said. As for Albayalde, he said Duterte could have just expressed his "frustrations" over the seemingly repeated allegations of extrajudicial killings against him. "Ang take ko dyan is the President said that out of frustration. Kasi wala nang maibato sa kanya na kung anu-anong isyu so parang ang sinabi na lang niya ay 'sige inaamin ko na lang 'yun' (My take on that is the President said that out of frustration. It's because there are no more issues being hurled against him so it's like he just said 'okay, I'll admit to that,'" Albayalde said in a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City. On the other hand, Albayalde took into record that they have apprehended some policemen who were tagged in various crimes, including killings. "Totally hindi natin pwedeng i-deny yan (we cannot deny that). It's because over the years, we saw some policemen involved in killings. Lalung-lalo na 'yung sinabi dati ng Presidente na mga ninja cops (Most especially what the President said before about the ninja cops)," he said. Ninja cops are police officers who are recycling illegal drugs that are being seized in police operations. In the government campaign against illegal drugs, allegations of human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings or summary executions are being accused by local and international watch groups against the Duterte administration. But Albayalde said even the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) could not prove that indeed, there are EJKs in the drug war. "The word EJK was so abused. It was used and reused and abused -- used irresponsibly for propaganda of some sectors," he said. The PNP chief explained that EJKs are state-sponsored killings the victims of which include elected political officials, members of judiciary and media. "Eh itong mga naging biktima o napapatay during the time of President, ano ba ito? (Those being killed under the time of President what are they?) Most of them are common criminals. These are police operations. Wala namang kinalaman si Presidente sa operations natin dahil ang utos lang niya ay (He has no hand in our operations because his only order is) to wage a war against illegal drugs," Albayalde explained, adding those killed resisted arrest and fought with police (nanlaban). "In fact, not even the Commission on Human Rights ay na-prove na may (proved that there are) EJKs during the time of President Duterte," he added. Cops in killings One of the biggest blunders in the drug war was the killing of teenage boy Kian Llord delos Santos in October 2017, which was immediately followed by the deaths of Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman. The boys were accused of being drug peddlers. Delos Santos and Arnaiz died at the hands of Caloocan police while De Guzman, a companion of Arnaiz on the night of his disappearance, ended up dead in a creek in Nueva Ecija -- his head wrapped in packaging tape while his body sustained over 20 stab wounds. Three cops have been jailed and charged with murder for the death of Delos Santos while two police officers were indicted in the case of Arnaiz. In January 2018, South Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo was killed by anti-illegal drugs operatives -- his ashes flushed in a comfort room inside the national headquarters. The effect of the teen killings and Jee's killing were only two of the several, major blunders in the drug war but its effects were so massive that Duterte sidelined the PNP from leading the anti-drug campaign, giving the leadership to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and eventually halting the drug war twice in 2017 -- one each for the said instances. However, the drug war returned in December 2017 and the PNP came back as well. At present, the PNP said a total of 4,854 drug suspects have died in the war on drugs from July 2016 to August 2018.
Philippine National Police Chief Director Oscar Albayalde(Kevin Tristan Espiritu / MANILA BULLETIN) However, Albayalde admitted that some rogue and ninja cops have been implicated in various crimes, including murder, that's why an intensified internal cleansing is being strictly implemented. Duterte, in a speech in Malacañang on Thursday, seemingly admitted his role in extrajudicial killings allegedly being committed under his administration as he stated it was his "only sin," not corruption or others. "I will talk to a political exercise now. What are your sins? Ako? Sabi ko nga sa military, ano kasalanan ko? Nagnakaw ba ako dyan ni piso? Did I prosecute na pinakulong ko? Ang kasalanan ko lang, 'yung mga extrajudicial killings," Duterte said. As for Albayalde, he said Duterte could have just expressed his "frustrations" over the seemingly repeated allegations of extrajudicial killings against him. "Ang take ko dyan is the President said that out of frustration. Kasi wala nang maibato sa kanya na kung anu-anong isyu so parang ang sinabi na lang niya ay 'sige inaamin ko na lang 'yun' (My take on that is the President said that out of frustration. It's because there are no more issues being hurled against him so it's like he just said 'okay, I'll admit to that,'" Albayalde said in a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City. On the other hand, Albayalde took into record that they have apprehended some policemen who were tagged in various crimes, including killings. "Totally hindi natin pwedeng i-deny yan (we cannot deny that). It's because over the years, we saw some policemen involved in killings. Lalung-lalo na 'yung sinabi dati ng Presidente na mga ninja cops (Most especially what the President said before about the ninja cops)," he said. Ninja cops are police officers who are recycling illegal drugs that are being seized in police operations. In the government campaign against illegal drugs, allegations of human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings or summary executions are being accused by local and international watch groups against the Duterte administration. But Albayalde said even the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) could not prove that indeed, there are EJKs in the drug war. "The word EJK was so abused. It was used and reused and abused -- used irresponsibly for propaganda of some sectors," he said. The PNP chief explained that EJKs are state-sponsored killings the victims of which include elected political officials, members of judiciary and media. "Eh itong mga naging biktima o napapatay during the time of President, ano ba ito? (Those being killed under the time of President what are they?) Most of them are common criminals. These are police operations. Wala namang kinalaman si Presidente sa operations natin dahil ang utos lang niya ay (He has no hand in our operations because his only order is) to wage a war against illegal drugs," Albayalde explained, adding those killed resisted arrest and fought with police (nanlaban). "In fact, not even the Commission on Human Rights ay na-prove na may (proved that there are) EJKs during the time of President Duterte," he added. Cops in killings One of the biggest blunders in the drug war was the killing of teenage boy Kian Llord delos Santos in October 2017, which was immediately followed by the deaths of Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman. The boys were accused of being drug peddlers. Delos Santos and Arnaiz died at the hands of Caloocan police while De Guzman, a companion of Arnaiz on the night of his disappearance, ended up dead in a creek in Nueva Ecija -- his head wrapped in packaging tape while his body sustained over 20 stab wounds. Three cops have been jailed and charged with murder for the death of Delos Santos while two police officers were indicted in the case of Arnaiz. In January 2018, South Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo was killed by anti-illegal drugs operatives -- his ashes flushed in a comfort room inside the national headquarters. The effect of the teen killings and Jee's killing were only two of the several, major blunders in the drug war but its effects were so massive that Duterte sidelined the PNP from leading the anti-drug campaign, giving the leadership to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and eventually halting the drug war twice in 2017 -- one each for the said instances. However, the drug war returned in December 2017 and the PNP came back as well. At present, the PNP said a total of 4,854 drug suspects have died in the war on drugs from July 2016 to August 2018.