Head of PNP body vs errant cops: No whitewash on killings probe

Chief Supt. Leo Leuterio, acting Deputy Inspector General of the Philippine National Police’s Internal Affairs Service, during a media interview at Camp Crame. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net

The head of the Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) on Thursday allayed fears that the investigation on policemen allegedly carrying out summary killings would be whitewashed, saying no one would care more for the organization than its members.

As the Senate questions the appointment of Chief Supt. Leo Leuterio as the current head of the PNP’s institutional watchdog, the former Davao police official assured that the IAS under his watch would conduct impartial investigation on cops involved in questionable drug operations.

“Who would care more about cleansing PNP organization than the police officer himself? Like in a family, who would care more about the family than you yourself, the member of the family? That’s one way of explaining it,” Leuterio told reporters at Camp Crame on Thursday.

The PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998 requires the appointment of a nonpolice officer as head of internal affairs, the body that handles cases of errant cops.

READ: Poe wants independent leadership of PNP internal affairs service

Earlier at the Senate hearing, Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa said he was planning to appoint a civilian to lead the IAS once the PNP weeds out the bad cops.

The police chief, however, later said: “But if you really want that to happen, right away … I can appoint a new IAS (chief).”

While the issue was still being tackled at the Senate, Leuterio was formally sworn in as the acting deputy inspector general in a simple ceremony at Camp Crame.

“The Chief PNP issued an order for me to be the acting deputy inspector general and until that is revoked by him, I will perform the duties of the inspector general,” he told reporters after the ceremony.

Leuterio said they had “brilliant” lawyers at the IAS so it would be unfair to accuse the investigating body as “biased.”

A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988 who hails from Davao City, Leuterio said he was not the first police officer assigned to head the IAS.

Asked why his appointment had become an issue, Leuterio said: “Why? Never have the operations of the PNP against the illegal drugs trade been this invasive. Sobrang lakas ng operations namin ngayon such that lumabas ‘yung fact na kailangan i-intensify ang actions ng disciplinary mechanism ng PNP against its police force and the President committed even during the campaign and his speech yesterday that this is his priority. The President said he cannot rule this country with a corrupt police force and IAS totally supports the President on that.”

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