Senator Dick Gordon INQUIRER file photo / EDWIN BACASMAS
At least two senators on Sunday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to heed the call of the Supreme Court (SC) and submit investigation reports on the killing of drug suspects in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
Senators Richard Gordon and Sherwin Gatchalian backed the SC’s order to Solicitor General Jose Calida and the PNP to provide them with documents containing the names, addresses, police operational plans and other important information on Oplan Tokhang operations from July 1, 2016, to Nov. 30, 2017.
READ: SC presses PNP to submit ‘Tokhang’ reports
Gatchalian said the PNP should release the report “in the spirit of transparency and accountability.”
“Para sa akin in the spirit of transparency and accountability dapat ibigay yung mga document sa SC. This is the only way that we can find out the truth,” he said in a dzBB interview.
“And para sa imahe din ng PNP, maganda din na voluntary nilang binibigay itong mga information at voluntary nilang pinapakita na walang masamang ginagawa (ang PNP),” he added.
In a separate interview over radio dzBB, Gordon said the PNP should submit the report or they would be liable.
“Yes they can do that. They must do it. Kung ayaw nila ibigay, they are liable. That’s why ang sabi natin ang weakness natin enforcement. We have to push it to the next level,” he said.
If the PNP refuses to submit the reports to the High Court, Gatchalian said it might show that the police are hiding something.
“Unang-una, lalabas sa publiko na parang may tinatago sila na hindi maganda. Pangalawa, the SC can compel the policemen to submit the required information or required data,” he added.
For his part, Gordon suggested that the Congress pass a measure to reorganize PNP.
“You can tell them that they’re incompetent, that they’re deliberately holding the information…” he said.
“Kaya nga ang sabi ko we will not be helpless balikan natin sa Senado at lower House. Sabihin natin ayaw nyo gumawa nyan tayo ang gagawa ng paraan ire-reorganize natin ang PNP,” he added.
Senate Majority Leader Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senators Panfilo Lacson and Joel Villanueva also supported the SC decision.
READ: 3 senators back SC order on PNP to submit ‘Tokhang’ reports
At a Senate hearing last September, PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he needed to get Duterte’s clearance before releasing a report to the Senate about the thousands of people killed under the government’s bloody war on drugs. /cbb
READ: President has last say on release of police report to Senate—Bato