Group: Bataan cop killed to stop him from exposing colleagues linked to drug ring

MANILA, Philippines—Was Chief Inspector Elmer Santiago murdered for attempting to reveal the names of his fellow policemen allegedly linked to an illegal drug ring?

The group Anti-Drugs Advocate Laban ng Pamilyang Pilipino has urged authorities to conduct an investigation into the fatal ambush of the former Bataan police intelligence officer last April 16 in Mandaluyong City.

Santiago was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding assailants while driving a Toyota Altis along Talumpong Street in Barangay (village) Malamig.

His wife Agnes, who was sitting on the passenger seat, sustained injuries but survived the ambush.

Prior to his death, Santiago was placed on “floating status” at Central Luzon Police ‎Regional Personnel Holding and Administrative Unit.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the group said that behind the killing was a “link diagram” revealing the names of several police officers involved in an illegal drug syndicate.

In the diagram, Santiago listed his batch mates in the 1996 Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) class as some of the leaders of the syndicate.

The group said these policemen, whose names are yet to be divulged, held sensitive positions in the PNP with ranks of Chief Inspector up to Police Superintendent.

The link diagram Santiago prepared was supposed to be brought to PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima.

The Anti-Drugs Advocate group, which drew support from Santiago’s family, said that the slain policeman sought the help of his PNPA classmate to arrange a meeting with Purisima.

The  diagram, however, did not reach the office of Purisima until Santiago’s death.

“Instead of handing the letter to CPNP (Purisima), his classmate gave the intelligence report to police officers included in the list,” the group said.

Seeking probe

“Through this statement, we dare the Chairman of Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs of the Senate and Congress to conduct an inquiry on the document prepared by slain Chief Inspector Santiago,” it said.

The group also urged Purisima and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Virgilio Mendez to intervene in the unsolved case to deliver justice to Santiago.

Task Force formed

Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP Public Information Office chief, said in a press briefing Monday that a special investigating task group to probe on Santiago’s killing has been formed.

Sindac said this will be led by Senior Superintendent Wilson Caubat, Deputy Director for Operations at Eastern Police District.

“Our stand there is that we just have to wait for the outcome of investigation,” Sindac said when asked for comment on the link diagram.

But the PNP PIO chief assured that the police will do their best to have a dialogue with all the “concerned parties.”

“We will continue to investigate until we get to the bottom of this,” he added.

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