Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa defended President Rodrigo Duterte, who said he will not allow policemen tagged in the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa to go to prison.
In a media briefing on Thursday, Dela Rosa said that statement was just Duterte’s way of expressing his support to policemen performing their anti-illegal drug operations.
“Pinapakita niya that he is supporting the policemen. Bibigyan niya ng support… Hindi niya sinasabi na i-violate niya ang batas,” he said.
Since there is a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise, Dela Rosa said Duterte will assist policemen in facing their cases the best possible way they can–by providing competent lawyers for the accused policemen.
Because they are facing murder charges, Dela Rosa will appeal to lower the case to homicide so they may post bail and ask for the custody of the accused.
“Hahanapan ng paraan paano hindi makulong, maybe – kung lalabas ang warrant nila – baka pwedeng mag-appeal na lower yung charge from murder to homicide para makapag-bail,” he said.
However, the case of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 Head Superintendent Marvin Marcos and his team is different, especially now that another law enforcement agency, in this case, the National Bureau of Investigation, said that Mayor Espinosa’s death was a rubout.
But Dela Rosa said Duterte will not meddle in the case.
“Even si President ayaw nya magme-meddle. Ayaw ko mag interfere sa kaso na yan, file-an nyo, go ahead. Pero siya lang sabi nga niya ayaw niya makulong. Yan yung kanyang desire sa kanyang puso kasi ma-demoralize yung lahat ng pulis ngayon na nag ooperate against drugs,” he said.
Dela Rosa said as PNP Chief, it is his job to protect his men and discipline them in case that they will do something wrong.
Since Day One of the Duterte administration, the President’s instruction to policemen is that if the drug suspects resist arrest and fight back, shoot them dead.
This is the defense of CIDG Region 8. They said Mayor Espinosa fought back, which is why Chief Inspector Leo Laraga shot him.
Based on the President’s speech in Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday, he said that for as long as they will stick to their story, he will support the policemen.
DOJ: Duterte will not intervene
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also said Duterte will not intervene in the case, rather, he was only expressing his opinion when he made the statement.
“The president did nothing wrong. He merely exercised his right to free expression” he said.
Aguirre said DOJ is conducting a preliminary probe on the policemen.
The NBI has said Espinosa’s killing was a ‘rubout’ because there was a criminal intent to go to his jail cell to kill him.
CNN Philippines’ correspondent Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report.
