SC issues protection order to family of another ‘Tokhang’ victim

The Supreme Court has issued another protection order to another family of an “Oplan Tokhang” victim in a second writ of amparo petition.

Covered by the protective writ is the family of Joselito Gonzales, who died of multiple gunshot wounds in July last year in Antipolo City.

The temporary protection order (TPO) has been issued against respondents Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael Sueño, Philippine National Police Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa, Chief Superintendent Valfrie Tabian, Senior Superintendent Adriano Enong, Superintendent Simnar Semacio Gran, Inspector Dogwe, Allen Cadag, Mark Riel Canilon, and several John Does coming from the Antipolo City Police Station (CPS) Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (PNP AIDSOTF) and Provincial Special Operating Unit Team.

The high court also prohibited the respondents from entering within a radius of one kilometer from the petitioner’s residence and work.

The case is also remanded to the Court of Appeals for a hearing and the respondents were given five working days to make a verified return.

The appeals court has been given 10 days after the hearing to issue a ruling.

Christina Macandog, in her petition, claimed that she and her husband “were induced by respondent police officers to deal in drugs but that they decided, in mid-2016, to surrender and reform but that, before they could do the same, Cadag and Canilon threatened to kill them.”

Macandog said because of the threat, she has gone into hiding since then, leaving her child behind for fear that she will be killed next.

Last January, the high court issued the first writ of amparo and protection order to a survivor and relatives of victims of a tokhang operation in Payatas, Quezon City. The appeals court already conducted a hearing and ordered the transfer of the police officers involved to an area outside Quezon City and Rizal.

READ: SC grants protection to petitioners vs ‘Oplan Tokhang’

President Rodrigo Duterte has stopped the PNP from conducting tokhang operations after several policemen figured in questionable anti-drug operations, the latest of which was the abduction-slay of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo on October 18, 2016. JE/rga