SC protects another drug war widow

President Duterte’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs has suffered another legal setback.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the petition for the writ of amparo filed by the widow of a drug suspect killed by the police in Antipolo City in July last year.

It was the second protection order issued by the high court telling the police to stay away from people who had lost loved ones in the government crackdown on narcotics. On Jan. 31, the tribunal also granted the writ of amparo to a drug raid survivor and a group of residents in Payatas, Quezon City, where four garbage collectors were shot dead execution-style by the police in August 2016.

In a press briefing, Theodore Te, the Supreme Court spokesperson, said the magistrates barred the respondents—led by Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno—from entering an area within one kilometer from the home of Cristina Gonzales.

The order also covers Chief Supt. Valfrie Tabian, Senior Supt. Adriano Enong, Supt. Simnar Semacio Gran, Police Insp. Aristone Dogwe, Allen Cadag, Mark Riel Canilon and members of the Antipolo Police Station Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force and the Rizal Provincial Special Operating Unit Team.

Gonzales’ husband Joselito was a suspected drug dealer who was killed allegedly in a shootout with Dogwe and an officer identified only as Chief Insp. Garcia on July 5, 2016.

“Petitioner claims that she and her husband were induced by respondents police officers to deal in drugs, but that they decided in mid-2016 to surrender and reform,” Te said, quoting a portion of the court order.

According to the widow, respondents Cadag and Canilon then warned her and Joselito that they would be silenced should they decide to stop distributing illegal drugs.

“This threat was later carried out,” Te said. “(Gonzales) is in hiding, leaving behind her child for fear that she will be killed next.”

The Supreme Court directed the Court of Appeals to immediately raffle off Gonzales’ petition, conduct hearings and issue a ruling on the matter within 10 days after the petition for a permanent protection order is submitted for resolution.

The tribunal also ordered Dela Rosa, Sueno and the other police officials to submit their verified reply within five days after receiving the order.