MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday promised to protect the police officials who supervised the operations that led to the killings of two mayors allegedly connected to the illegal drugs trade in the country.
Duterte’s promise is part of his broader pledge to shield cops from prosecution when they implement the president’s flagship campaign against narcotics.
The president however warned his police officers against abusing their authority especially because Duterte has faced stringent criticisms over the abuses related to his government’s handling of drug suspects and criminals.
“The police chief who supervised the killing of Parojinog and Marcos who is being prosecuted now, they will have my protection,” the president said, referring to Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido and Superintendent Marvin Marcos.
Marcos was the leader of the regional police who raided the detention cell of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa that resulted in the mayor's death.
Espenido was the police leader who served the search warrant in the house of Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog which also led to the death of the mayor and a dozen others.
In both these cases, the warrants were served during the wee hours of the morning. Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa has said police are allowed to serve warrants at any time of day.
Duterte said both Espinosa and Parojiog killed many cops during their stints as local government officials, adding that most of those were killed for resisting their alleged illegal activities.
“In this country before, even if you are a colonel, police, army, and you are up against politicians... powerful controlling the votes or no voting is allowed on that day in an election. They were so powerful then because they had the connection upstairs,” he said during the 116th anniversary celebration of the police service at the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police.
'Do not abuse, do not commit crime'
Duterte however made it clear to police officers that he was not giving them absolute license to do whatever they wanted as he warned them against engaging in illegal activities.
“Do your duty, and I will protect you. Do not abuse, do not commit crime not the extrajudicial killings pictured by the human rights just leave them alone,” said the president, demonstrating that he supports security forces and showing local and international critics that he is not condoning abuse.
Duterte also announced that he would visit Ozamiz City soon to warn police officers and others in cahoots with the Parojinogs in their alleged illegal activities.
“Yung kasama ni Parajinog and his cahoots... who are members of the PNP and who are responsible for the death of six soldiers before you will have your comeuppance. I will see to it that you too will get your fair share,” the president warned.
Parojinog, his wife and brother and 13 others were killed in their house after they allegedly violently resisted the serving of a search warrant by a police team led by Espenido.
Espinosa and his cell mate Raul Yap were also killed for allegedly engaging the cops in a shootout. The Senate and the National Bureau of Investigation however said that their deaths were extrajudicial.