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Espenido recruited to down Duterte drug war
By Nidz Godino
“That’s their game plan…their game plan is to use in ICC whatever comes out of that hearing,” Sen. Ronald dela Rosa said referring to Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido s testimony on Wednesday before House quad committee some ranking officials have “recruited” Espenido as part of their “game plan” to make him discredit drug war in the previous administration and convince him to testify against former president Rodrigo Duterte before International Criminal Court (ICC).
Congressmen, however, denied Dela Rosa’s accusation, saying they would not allow credibility of probe panel to be compromised.
Quad committee comprises four panels jointly hearing possible connection among Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO), extrajudicial killings and human trafficking. Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte is overall committee chair.
In his testimony, Espenido confirmed reward and quota system in Duterte administration’s war on drugs explained rampant abuses by policemen in enforcement of drug war. Dela Rosa was one of those indicted by ICC for thousands of drug-related killings during Duterte administration.
“There were people who recruited them ,Espenido and others to make statements, affidavits like this…we know it…he could not have said those things if nobody had recruited him, he could not have come without being invited,” Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa noted Speaker Martin Romualdez had tried but failed to recruit Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., chief of Philippine National Police (PNP) in Northern Luzon.
The senator said Caramat was even offered top PNP post if he would agree to testify against Duterte.
After refusing to testify against Duterte, Caramat was removed as chief of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, major position in PNP, Dela Rosa said.
Aside from Romualdez, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, House appropriation committee chairman Rep. Zaldy Co and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency chief Ricardo de Leon had also tried to convince Caramat to speak against former president, according to Dela Rosa.
“Caramat didn’t budge, he got removed from CIDG…so I know how this would unfold,” Dela Rosa said.
“Problem with Quad committee is, I know what you want…your objective is to establish something, to establish something you want…but I can see your grand design…now who’s behind this Quad committee if not the Speaker of the House…so they can use this, and whatever comes out of Quad committee, they will use in ICC… I respect that, ok do it,” Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa said there were efforts to connect drug war to extrajudicial killings, POGO and ICC.
Earlier, Dela Rosa claimed there were efforts to “erase Dutertes and their allies from face of the earth” as some government officials were trying to convince police officers to testify against him and Duterte before ICC.
He also vowed not to attend quad committee hearings saying he does not need special panel to clear his name.
“I am very consistent… I said I will not attend their hearing,I don’t want to become precedent in violating Inter-Parliamentary Code of the State… I hope they understand,” Dela Rosa claimed.
Dela Rosa recalled first knowing about Espenido in 2016. He said former or incumbent mayor approached then president-elect Duterte to seek his assistance in eliminating illegal drugs in Albuera, Leyte. The mayor recommended Espenido be appointed chief of police.
He said positive outcome of drug war in Albuera prompted other local government officials including those from Misamis Occidental to request PNP to take similar action in their jurisdictions. In response, Dela Rosa said Espenido was transferred to Misamis Occidental.
After his retirement and appointment to Bureau of Corrections, Dela Rosa learned his successor PNP chief Oscar Albayalde ordered relief of Espenido for abuse of authority. The senator, however was able to dissuade Albayalde against enforcing Espenido’s relief.
Dela Rosa swore that he never gave instructions to kill anyone or reward police officers who killed alleged drug offenders in the course of legitimate police operations.
“Honest to God, I never gave him instructions to kill or who should be killed… I never gave such instructions…there were very clear instructions to him smash those drug syndicates, clear Albuera of drugs,” he said.
But he admitted “in the course of implementation of your duty, life was threatened, enemy is fighting, then by all means, you have to defend yourself, protect yourself… I don’t need to tell him that because he is police officer.”
“But Espenido’s assumption was that when I said to end drug problem there, that there would be killings, that was his assumption…but I never gave instructions to kill whoever was on the list and be rewarded…cross my heart,” he stressed.
Dela Rosa said that as then PNP chief, he could not have been protector of drug syndicates that Duterte administration had vowed to stamp out.
PNP has also raised howl over Espenido’s testimony, particularly his allegation that national police is largest organized crime group in the country.
“He has to answer for his claims, that is for sure, meaning we have to ask him about his accusations…accusation is one thing but proof is another thing, quite unfair for him to say that about whole organization because definitely PNP was not established to commit crimes, ” Col. Jean Fajardo, PNP public information officer, said at briefing at Camp Crame.
In separate statement, PNP expressed deep concern and sadness over Espenido’s allegations.
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