Handling of case vs alleged ISIS recruiter frustrates PNP chief

Soldiers escort suspected terrorist Fehmi Lassqued to the Department of Justice. Philippine Daily Inquirer / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa expressed frustration on Tuesday after a closed circuit television (CCTV) footage submitted as evidence by the police contradicted the claims against a suspected Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) recruiter.

In their complaint, the Regional Police Intelligence Operations Unit (RPIOU) of the PNP- National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said they arrested Tunisian Fehmi Lassqued and his girlfriend Anabel Moncera Salipada at his apartment in Malate, Manila on Feb. 16.

But during Monday’s hearing on the motion for reconsideration on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision junking the illegal possession of firearms and explosives complaint against Lassqued and his Filipina partner, the CCTV footage showed that Lassqued was arrested in Makati City.

READ: CCTV footage contradicts police claim vs suspected ISIS recruiter

This supported the suspected ISIS recruiter’s claim, which resulted in the initial dismissal of cases filed against him and his partner.

READ: DOJ clears suspected ISIS recruiter

While Dela Rosa said this was “frustrating,” he said he is not blaming anyone.

“I am frustrated, I am not finding fault, I am not accusing anyone or anything ako frustrated lang. Napalaki nun eh international yun (I’m just frustrated. That’s a big one, international) ,” he told reporters.

The PNP chief said he would discuss the next step of the police with NCRPO Director Oscar Albayalde.

“Hahabulin natin kung hindi pa deport pero kung ma-deport ok na sa akin para makaalis na sa bansa pero kung ma-hold pa sya mas ok sana (We will go after them if he’s not yet deported, but if he’s deported, it is fine with me so he can leave the country, but still it is better if he will be held),” he said.

Dela Rosa also lamented that the case could have been prepared well, especially that the loophole in the case was just a discrepancy in the place where Lassqued was arrested.

“Pag nagsasampa ng kaso dapat ingat talaga lahat ng detalye dapat nandun, hindi tayo mabutasan. Boundary problem lang very technical but the substance was there yung technical lang nakakasira sa kaso,” he said.

(When filing a case it should be well detailed so there could be no loophole. It was just boundary problem, very technical, but the substance was there it was just the technical aspect of it that ruined everything.)

He also believed the NCRPO had limited time to study and polish the case against the suspected ISIS recruiter.

“Dapat walang butas kailangan talaga tamang panahon, ‘di yung ganun na minamadali pag-file ng kaso dahil limitado yung oras, minsan yung imbestigador kasi nagmamadali,” Dela Rosa said.

(There should be no loophole and it should be on the right time; not rushing the filing of case because time is limited, sometimes the investigator is rushing it.)

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong is set to resolve the pending motion for reconsideration. /jpv