Bato: Duterte did not meddle in decision to reassign Supt. Marcos

Despite his public pronouncements, President Rodrigo Duterte gave no orders to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to either absolve or penalize Superintendent Marvin Marcos, the police chief told a Senate hearing on Wednesday.

Marcos was among the 19 policemen charged for the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

“Your honor kung basehan natin ‘yung pinagsasabi ni Presidente, your honor, it has not affected our decision. Because for the record, your honor, he (Duterte) did not call me up to give instructions whether to absolve or to penalize Marcos. Hindi po s’ya nakialam your honor,” PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said when he faced the joint hearing of the Senate committees on public order and drugs, and justice and human rights.

(Your honor, if we base it on the pronouncements of the President, your honor, it has not affected our decision. Because for the record, your honor, he did not call me up to give instructions whether to absolve or to penalize Marcos. He did not meddle.)

BACKSTORY: Duterte wants reinstatement of Supt. Marvin Marcos

“Kilala naman natin si Presidente your honor , ‘yung mga sinasabi niya sa TV pinapakingan natin (We know the President, your honor, and we listen to whatever he says on TV) but (the) investigation was independent your honor. The decision that I have come up was independent of his pronouncements on the TV, your honor,” Dela Rosa added.

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Dela Rosa explained that he only approved the recommendation of the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to suspend Marcos for four months because of “command responsibility,”

“My decision is dependent on the recommendation of the IAS so the resolution that (was) given to me by IAS, it’s either I will approve it or disapprove it so since I saw that the investigation was done properly so I approved the recommendation of IAS, that’s four months suspension for Supt. Marcos , for command responsibility,” he said.

The two committees are probing the downgrading of the murder case against Marcos to homicide and his reinstatement, afterwards. IDL