PNP gives whistle-blower until Monday

Election fraud whistle-blower Senior Superintendent Rafael Santiago is welcome to any assignment at the Philippine National Police, but he has only until Monday to indicate his choice.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo dangled this offer to Santiago early Friday, saying the latter “is still part” of the PNP organization and thus “has to comply with [its] rules and regulations.”

Santiago’s last assignment was at the PNP directorate for operations following his relief as police director of Zambales in July.

“If it’s necessary that we give him a new assignment so he can be secured, we will give him a new assignment. But he has to report first,” Robredo said.

The PNP earlier warned that Santiago could be dropped from the rolls if he failed to explain his absence within 30 days of being declared absent without leave.

Reached later in the day by the Inquirer, Santiago said he had “already talked” with Robredo.

“I intend to comply with his order, but due to security reasons, I cannot divulge any more information,” Santiago said.

Robredo himself said Santiago and four members of his team reported to him yesterday afternoon and indicated their intention to remain with the PNP.

“They requested a reassignment [in the] meantime that they will be attending the Department of Justice (DOJ) hearings,” Robredo said.

He said Santiago and company would be assigned temporarily to the National Police Commission-Secretary of the Interior and Local Government office at Camp Crame, the PNP headquarters in Quezon City.

Earlier Friday, Robredo said he understood that Santiago’s dismissal from his previous post was “very likely” upon the request of Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., a former PNP director general whom Santiago had implicated in the purported switching of 2004 election returns.

“What we want to convey to [Santiago] is that he has a duty to obey the organization. But in doing that, we are also concerned for his safety and we are after the truth as well,” Robredo said.

He said he was not aware if Santiago was now under the DOJ’s witness protection program. With a report from Nancy C. Carvajal