Press Release
July 6, 2019

De Lima: Relief of policemen involved in death of 3-year-old not enough

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has expressed dissatisfaction over the move by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to simply relieve the policemen involved in a buy-bust operation that led to the death of a three-year-old girl in Rizal.

De Lima said the PNP's action is part of its standard operating procedure (SOP) when it comes to penalizing erring policemen who will eventually be reinstated or even rewarded with promotion by the Duterte regime once the public outrage subsides.

"Hindi sapat na pansamantala silang alisin sa kanilang mga puwesto. Mas dapat na makasuhan sila at matanggal sa serbisyo para mabigyan ng hustisyang sinapit ng inosenteng biktima," said De Lima, a known human rights and social justice champion.

"Hindi tayo magtataka kung makabalik din sa serbisyo ang mga sangkot na pulis at mabigyan pa ng promotion bilang gantimpala kapag lumamig na ang isyu. Ito na ang normal na kalakaran sa panahon ni Mr. Duterte," she added.

The PNP earlier relieved the Rizal police chief and 19 police non-commissioned officers following the death of three-year-old Myka Ulpina in a buy-bust operation last June 30. The personnel were transferred to the administrative office and holding unit of the Rizal Provincial Police Office.

In the 18th Congress, De Lima is set to resubmit a measure seeking to strengthen the Philippine National Police's Human Rights Affairs Office to ensure that policemen will have the highest regard for human rights and rule of law in the exercise of its mandate.

News Latest News Feed