Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 13) — Erring policemen who opt for early retirement will not escape charges if evidence show they are involved in illegal drugs, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Thursday.
“Giving them retirement does not mean that they won’t be prosecuted,” Panelo told reporters during the briefing.
“Kung may ebidensya naman, fafile-an ka pa rin ng kaso (If there’s evidence, they will surely be charged), and by getting that retirement, you’re admitting that you’re involved,” he added.
“Not off the hook. Definitely. Di naman pwede kay Presidente yun eh (the President will not allow it anyway),” Panelo said.
No less than Philippine National Police Chief PGen Archie Gamboa himself previously revealed that 15 of the 357 policemen on President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug watch list have expressed interest in optional retirement, as “there will be a lot of sleepless nights” for the validation committee who will process their cases.
https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/11/on-the-record-archie-gamboa-optional-retirement.html
“There will be a lot of sleepless nights on the part of the validation committee to process all of them. I told them if you are guilty, the more reason you should go for optional retirement. But if you’re not and you think you cannot get the justice or the proper clearance to clear your name… I told them you have the option to retire,” Gamboa previously told CNN Philippines’ On the Record.
Panelo added that Gamboa’s offer does no harm as it does not include a criminal waiver.
“It would be different kung binigyan mo ng optional retirement pagkatapos may criminal waiver ang prosecution. Ay, ibang usapan yun. That would be unlawful,” he said.
[Translation: It would be different if you give an optional retirement, then there’s a criminal waiver for the prosecution. That’s a different thing. That would be unlawful.]
Panelo added that he will ask Duterte if he would order Gamboa to release the names of police officers allegedly involved in anti-narcotics operations.
Earlier in the day, Gamboa refused to give further details about the reported inclusion of PLtCol Jovie Espenido in Duterte’s watchlist.
Espenido’s reported involvement comes two years after he led an anti-drug operation in Ozamis City against drug-linked politicians, including the Parojinog family.
Duterte reiterated in a speech on Wednesday that policemen involved in illegal drugs “will die” because they have done the nation wrong.
Former police chief Oscar Albayalde, Gamboa’s predecessor, stepped down from his post last October amid complaints that he allegedly tried to protect police officers who recycled drugs seized from operations.
