Atty. Rafael Vicente R. Calinisan (File photo from Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) chairman and executive officer Rafael Calinisan disclosed he received death threats while handling the hit-and-run case against Lieutenant Colonel Mark Julio Abong.
The counsel also said he was subjected to different forms of harassment.
Calinisan’s revelation comes after Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) affirmed the decision of QC-PLEB and National Police Commission (Napolcom) – Regional Appellate Board to dismiss Abong from service.
Abong was chief of Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) before he was relieved.
“Now that this case is finally over, maybe now I can finally admit to the Filipino people that I have personally received numerous death threats and multiple forms of harassment during the course of our investigation of the Abong cases,” the QC-PLEB chairperson said in a statement on Thursday.
“Hindi lang from Abong, but also from his very powerful protectors na sinubukan kaming takutin at i-pressure para hindi namin magampanan ang aming tungkulin,” Calinisan said.
(Not just from Abong, but also from his very powerful protectors who tried to cast fear and pressure among the board members and prevent us from performing our duties.)
“This extended even way after we released our decision,” he recalled.
(This extended even way after we released our decision.)
“Pinersonal at kinasuhan din ako ni Abong at ng kanyang mga kasama sa cover up. Pero hindi tayo nagpatinag. Kaka-dismiss lang ng mga kasong ito laban sa akin,” Calinisan also revealed.
(Abong and his accomplices took it personally and filed a case against me. But we did not budge. The case he filed against me was recently dismissed.)
In August 2022, Abong was involved in a hit-and-run case near Anonas Street in Quezon city, where he was charged with the death of tricycle driver Joel Larosa and the injury of his passenger.
Larosa’s family lodged homicide and damage to property complaints against Abong, accusing him and three other police officers of trying to whitewash the case by reportedly using his driver, Ronald Centino, as a scapegoat.
Subsequently, QC-PLEB under DILG found him guilty of “grave offenses of misconduct, grave neglect of duty, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer with aggravating circumstances of employment of fraudulent means to conceal an offense.”
To avoid similar cases in the future, Calinisan asked Napolcom “to revisit its rules.”
He also recommended that PLEB’s decisions “should be immediately executory even pending appeal.”
“We maintain to this day that our original decision as early as March 2023 should have been immediately implemented,” Calinisan said.
“The law is clear, the intent of the law is clear, but the implementing rules are not,” the QC-PLEB official added.
“Kung inimplement lang ang decision namin ng maaga, hindi na sana nakaulit pa si Abong sa kanyang kalokohan,” he stressed.
(If our decision had been implemented earlier, Abong would not have been able to commit another offense.)
Reports on cases involving Abong surfaced again online after he was collared by authorities in November 26 for allegedly assaulting a bar server and reportedly harassing a customer in Quezon city by firing his gun twice.
He is facing charges of illegal discharge of firearms, alarm and scandal, and violating the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act in relation to the Omnibus Election Code.
The cases were filed before the city prosecutor’s office shortly after his arrest.
The Legal Service department of PNP endorsed an administrative case against Abong before the Internal Affairs Service.
However, QC Police District said on Wednesday that the resolution on Abong’s bail petition might be released today (November 30) since all charges against him are bailable.
Reporters tried to get the side of Abong on the issues surrounding him, but he did not grant this request.