PNP willing to probe alleged falsification of autopsy report of drug war victims

WAR ON DRUGS The body of a suspected drug pusher lies along a street in Pasay City after he was killed during a buy bust operation. —FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has expressed willingness to investigate the allegations that the autopsy reports of some drug war victims were falsified, if these reports would be forwarded to them.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said that the police force would have to validate and countercheck what the specific autopsy reports were supposedly falsified, as what leading forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun said.

Fortun on Tuesday said that she studied exhumed bodies of drug war victims — including those who were reported to have died of natural causes, but actually sustained gunshot wounds during the anti-drug operation.

“I understand na si Dr. Fortun conducted their own independent findings pertaining to this cases.  On the part of the PNP we have to also validate and see for ourselves kung ano-ano ‘tong mga cases na ito, mahirap magbigay ng general statement considering na hindi namin alam kung ano ‘yong mga cases na ‘ika nga ay nag-undergo ng independent forensic examination,” Fajardo said.

“But nonetheless we respect their independent findings on the part of the PNP, again ‘yong ating mga forensic doctors we’d like to assume that they perform their duties within the bounds of laws.  So if there are some irregularities then we would conduct our own investigation,” she added.

READ: Fortun: Autopsy of drug war victims uncovers falsified info 

In a separate statement, PNP Public Information Office (PNP-PIO) chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba said that it would be a great help to the police force if Fortun’s report would be forwarded to them.

“We will appreciate if these findings will be endorsed to us, so we can also probe and look into this matter. The PNP has always been transparent and cooperative. One example ay ang mga ginagawang imbestigasyon ng DOJ (Department of Justice) on drug-related cases,” Alba said.

“Napatunayan naman ng PNP na bukas kami na makipagtulungan, as long as idadaan sa tamang proseso,” he added.

According to Fortun, seven of the 46 she had autopsied had been reported to have died of “natural causes,” like sepsis, heart attack, pneumonia, and hypertension, but one of those sustained gunshot wounds.

“This is the case where he was violently killed and yet the doctor wrote a natural cause,” Fortun told reporters.

“So, how can that be? You have doctors staking their reputations, their names, their licenses, falsifying death certificates.  There’s a law against this,” she added.

Fajardo also said it would be better to have a list of the reexamined bodies, because as Fortun admitted, not all of the autopsy reports came from PNP — 23 of the victims’ autopsies were from PNP and three were done by National Bureau of Investigation doctors

“Again, sabi nga natin nire-respeto naitn ‘yong findings ng grupo ni Dr. Fortun.  But nonetheless we understand based din do’n sa aking mga nabasa rin na sa mga articles na some of those examined, exhumed bodies and reexamined, hindi naman PNP ‘yong nag-autopsy,” Fajardo said.

“And we have to understand that not all cases undergo the customary autopsy examination because […] some of the family opted not to go undergo the customary autopsy but like I said, if there are findings and our own investigation would establish that there are some lapses on the part of our investigators, or even do’n sa ating mga forensic doctors and investigators, then the PNP would act on these findings,” she added.

She also assured that the PNP, should there be an investigation, would not whitewash the results of the probe.

“Sinabi naman po ng PNP na noon pa man, makikipag-cooperate ang PNP sa lahat po ng investigation, in fact the PNP already submitted ‘yong mga requested documents to the Department of (Justice), DOJ, who is also conducting their own investigation and fact-finding investigation,” Fajardo noted.

“So whatever the result of the findings of the DOJ, rest assured that the PNP will cooperate and like I said earlier, if there are lapses on the part of the PNP relating to its investigation then appropriate disciplinary measures will be applied, and kung kailangan nga na may ipa-file tayong kaso then again the PNP will not be engaged in any cover-up,” she added.

The drug war has been one of the most criticized policies of the current administration, for being harsh and bloody.  Numbers as of December 2021 showed that over 6,215 drug suspects have been killed in legitimate operations, after supposedly fighting it out against authorities.

However, activist groups claim that the number is larger.  These allegations have led to complaints against past and present PNP officials and President Rodrigo Duterte himself at the International Criminal Court (ICC), for allegedly committing the crime against humanity of murder.

Last September 2021, the ICC pre-trial chamber authorized the start of the investigation on the drug war, acting upon the request of former prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.  But ICC in November 2021 granted the Philippine government’s request to stop investigation on the drug war killings, with the government claiming that the justice system in the country is fully functional.

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