Citing his own sources from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Senator Antonio Trillanes IV alleged on Thursday that a so-called “Philippine Death Squad” composed of active police members was organized under the Duterte administration to carry out extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the country.
“Meron kaming mga inpormasyon na itong gupo nila Superintendent (Marvin) Marcos at ilang mga classmate nila ay ito nga ‘yung mga nag e-execute noong extrajudicial killings. So na-identify na ‘yung mga pangalan ng kaklase nila na involved dito sa death squad all over the country,” Trillanes, an opposition member, said during a weekly forum in the Senate.
(We have obtained information that the group of Supt. Marcos and some of their classmates are the ones behind extrajudicial killings. We have identified the names of their classmates involved in the death squad which operates in the entire country.)
Marcos was one of the policemen charged for the killings of former Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Jr. and a fellow inmate while inside their detention cell at the Baybay, Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in November last year. Recently, the Department of Justice downgraded the cases against them from murder to homicide. Duterte has also repeatedly said that he would pardon the cops behind the mayor’s slay.
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“Base sa nakalap namin na impormasyon, merong isang klase sa PNPA (Philippine National Police Academy) na nagpapasimuno nitong mga aktibidades na ito,” the senator said.
(Based on the information we gathered, their classmate in the PNPA initiated these activities.)
He said the death squad is composed of active police members and they belonged to PNPA Class ‘96. He also identified the “point person” of the group as one “Superintendent Leonardo.”
Trillanes said Leonardo had direct contact to Duterte and is said to be close to the President’s son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte.
The police official, he said, had been assigned in Davao City and his name was also mentioned in the complaint filed against Duterte at the International Criminal Court.
“Kumabaga ‘yung Sonny Buenavetura ng Davao Death Squad, ‘yan (Leonardo) yung pinaka Sonny Buenaventura nitong Philippine Death Squad ni Duterte,” Trillanes said.
(Leonardo acts like the counterpart of the Davao Death Squad’s Sonny Buenaventura in Duterte’s Philippine Death Squad.)
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“’Yan ang kanilang organizational set up. So meron silang organization within the organization na diretso dun kay Duterte mismo at sila ang nagfa-faciliate ng reward system,” he said.
(That’s their organizational set-up. So they have an organization within an organization that reports directly to Duterte and facilitate their own reward system.)
Asked where he got his information, the senator said: “Galing din mismo sa PNP. Mga senior commanders nila na hindi involved dito sa paggalaw na ito, sila mismo ang nagsabi.”
(It’s from the PNP. It came from the senior commanders who are not part of these activities.)
Trillanes said his information was “validated” and based on several sources.
The senator was almost certain that the group would eventually turn against Duterte once he is out of Malacañang./rga