Press Release
July 26, 2017

Preliminary Statement for the Inquiry in Aid of Legislation on the Reinstatement of Supt. Marcos and other CIDG-8 members involved in the Killing of Mayor Espinosa

https://pinglacson.net/2017/07/26/live-senate-hearing-on-the-reinstatement-of-cops-linked-to-mayor-espinosas-killing-preliminary-statement/

If you have watched the award-winning TV series, House of Cards, you must have come across Frank Underwood's statement on his Rule on Ruthlessness and I quote - "The road to power is paved with hypocrisy ... and casualties."

Subliminally, one can easily draw parallelism in that quote I just mentioned with the turn of events in the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa and fellow detainee Raul Yap, which your Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs concluded, and which the Senate unanimously affirmed as premeditated and with grave abuse of authority on the part of CIDG Region 8 operatives.

Perhaps, more ruthless than the killing of Espinosa and fellow inmate Raul Yap are:

(1) the DOJ resolution dated May 29, 2017 signed by Undersecretary Reynante Orceo, dismissing the complaint for murder and downgrading it to homicide;

(2) IAS Resolution slapping a 4-month suspension against Supt. Marcos, one rank demotion and 6-month suspension for the others; and

(3) granting back-to-duty status to Marcos as Regional Director of CIDG Region 12.

Expectedly, this triple whammy of ruthless acts elicited public outrage and disgust among legislators from both houses of Congress.

Quite honestly, when Committee Report No. 46 was adopted unanimously in plenary, I thought we have already put to rest the Espinosa case. But due to recent turn of events, we now find ourselves here at the session hall once again. There is no saying that we do not respect our courts and their mandate to ensure the administration of justice, however, we cannot turn a blind eye to apparent irregularities duly reported.

My bigger concern, and this is personal, having come from the same police force that I value and love so dearly is the far-reaching implication of this whole scenario to the morale and discipline among the police ranks that could impact on their efficiency and performance to the detriment of the overall peace and order situation in our country.

With that, the Chair welcomes all the resource persons to the public inquiry in the exercise of the oversight functions of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs in relation to Committee Report No. 46.

In addition, today's agenda shall also include Senate Resolution No. 413 authored by Sen. Bam Aquino entitled, "Resolution Directing the Appropriate Senate Committee to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation on the contradictory issuance of the Department of Justice with regard to the killing of Leyte Mayor Espinosa in his jail cell"; and Senate Resolution No. 438 filed by this representation dealing mostly with the same subject matter.

Let us proceed.

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