Cops send feelers to testify in EJK probe

MANILA, Philippines — Active and retired police officers have sent “feelers” to become witnesses in the Quad Comm inquiry on extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, House committee on dangerous drugs chairman Rep. Robert Ace Barbers revealed yesterday.

The Quad Comm has been formed by the House of Representatives to look into the possible links between EJKs, illegal drugs, Chinese syndicates and Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGOs.

It is composed of Barbers’ committee, the human rights committee headed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante; public accounts committee headed by Abang Lingkod Rep. Caraps Paduano and public order and safety committee headed by Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez.

On the issue of EJKs, Barbers noted “members of our law enforcement agencies are the ones who want to share their information.”

“Some of them are also retired. And I believe this will give direction to our committee as to how we’re going to treat the testimonies or their evidences,” he said, refusing to identify the retired and active officers.

He also did not comment when asked if Philippine National Police (PNP) Northern Luzon Command chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. was one of the potential police witnesses who came forward.

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) director general Ricardo de Leon recently revealed that Caramat made an offer to Speaker Martin Romualdez to disclose everything he knew about EJKs and other irregularities in the drug war, including the list of names targeted for killing in return for an appointment as PNP chief.

Barbers gave assurance that the Quad Comm will “definitely study this and dig deeper” before they accept any testimony and that they will also be guided by legal experts.

He also called on anyone who has information to come forward and help in the investigation.

“And all those people we invited in (the past) POGO hearing, the likes of the mayor of Porac, the mayor of Bamban, the acting mayor, the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), the PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) officials and some Philippine National Police (PNP) generals, including General Caramat, and we will also invite maybe General (Eleazar) Matta of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group,” Barbers added.

Text scams down

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the Department of Information and Communications Technology admitted to have noticed a significant reduction in text scams after President Marcos ordered the total ban on POGO, indicating that their operations have also targeted Filipinos in their scamming activities.

“With the implementation of the ban, Filipinos are more likely to have a safe and better experience in their online transactions, which could expedite the country’s digital transformation,” he said.

President Marcos ordered a total ban of POGO in the country during his third State of the Nation Address last July following complaints that such activities were linked to scamming and human trafficking.

Gatchalian said cyber safety is important not only for accelerating the use of digital technologies in the country but also for attracting investments.

“We hope that our cyberspace will be safer and we will be able to attract more investors to the country,” Gatchalian added. “We also hope that the number of text scams and other online scams that prey on our compatriots will further decrease.” — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Emmanuel Tupas, Michael Punongbayan