PNP insists no special treatment for cops in Atimonan case

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) maintained yesterday that no special treatment is being extended to the 22 policemen implicated in the so-called Atimonan rubout despite the absence of sanctions against them a year after the incident.

The Internal Affairs Service (IAS) has submitted its initial recommendations on the case of serious irregularity in the performance of duties against the policemen, but the documents have yet to reach the desk of PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima.

Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP-Public Information Office (PNP) director, said three other administrative cases – grave misconduct, less grave neglect of duty, and less grave misconduct – had been filed against the law enforcers.

Sindac said administrative cases are punishable by dismissal from the service.

However, he noted that administrative charges are more cumbersome and tedious because of the process that must be observed.

“We should also consider that there are 22 policemen involved, represented by lawyers, who filed motions and other pleadings,” he said.

Of the policemen involved in the case, Sindac said 12 have warrants of arrest while the 13th cop filed a motion to determine probable cause.

Eleven policemen are now detained, seven have been restricted as no criminal charges have yet been filed against them, one went on absence without official leave (AWOL), two have been exonerated, and one has retired from the service, Sindac said.

Exonerated from criminal charges were Chief Superintendent James Melad, then head of the Calabarzon PNP, and Senior Superintendent Valeriano de Leon, then Quezon provincial director.

However, both are still facing administrative charges.

Inspector Ivaristo San Juan has retired from the police service while PO2 Al-Bhazar Jailani went AWOL.

Sindac said no special treatment is being accorded to the policemen and the PNP is just abiding by a court order in the disposition of involved law enforcers.

Purisima has instructed IAS chief Director Alexander Roldan to determine the administrative cases against the 22 policemen.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Wilben Mayor assured the public that appropriate sanctions would be meted out on the policemen, who are now locked up in Camp Crame’s Custodial Center.

Senior Superintendent Hansel Marantan, Calabarzon intelligence chief, said the alleged shootout that resulted in the death of 13 men was a legitimate police operation.

He was the only police officer wounded in the incident.