PNP chief stands by his men; cops ready raps

PRAYER BRIGADE Preachers from various religious organizations pray over the Cotabato police officers hurt in the April 1 bloody dispersal of farmers in Kidapawan City. WILLIAMOR A. MAGBANUA/INQUIRER MINDANAO

DIRECTOR General Ricardo Marquez Monday stood by his men on Monday and said the Philippine National Police would file charges against the protesters.

In an interview with the media at Quezon Memorial Circle, on the sidelines of the turnover ceremonies of new patrol jeeps and fire trucks, the PNP chief said 99 policemen were reported to have been injured in Friday’s clash in Kidapawan with the protesters.

Earlier, the PNP reported two protesters were killed and 10 wounded in the clash, although leftist groups supporting the farmers claimed three protesters were killed, 116 wounded and 78 arrested in the violent dispersal.

“We will file charges, of course, because one of our [injured] policemen is still unconscious until now. Another sustained a gunshot [on his left leg],” Marquez said. “Remember, our police only went there in consonance with the order of the local crisis management committee because of the complaints of so many people already. They were on a legitimate mission,” he said.

Starting Sunday, the Kidapawan police station has filed cases of Direct Assault upon Agents in Authority against around 81 protesters at the Kidapawan Prosecutor’s Office, said PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor.

“We have conducted so many dialogues before the law enforcement operations ever took place but [the protesters] would not settle for anything else. They wanted to block the highway. They would like to take this government hostage,” Marquez complained.

The pronouncement of police pursuing charges follows on the heels of an opposing statement from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), which has vowed to lead the filing of charges against the police and the local government for the Kidapawan dispersal.

Despite videos circulating online of bloodied protesters sustaining gunshot wounds, Marquez said whether police fired at the protesters was still subject to investigation.

But Marquez turned the tables on the protesters, running down details implying that shots were also fired from the protesters’ side. “It is clear in the initial report that one of the dead protesters tested positive in the paraffin test. Next to him, there was a cartridge shell for a cal. .45 pistol, which is not standard issue for the police. There was a slug where my men where,” he said.

Marquez did not confirm reports that New People’s Army rebels were among the protesters, but said he has given instructions to “trace” the background of any arrested protesters to check if they were really farmers.