De Lima denies inmate's raps

MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chief Leila de Lima yesterday categorically denied accusations by an inmate of the Panabo City jail in Davao del Norte that he was taken out of his detention cell without the necessary court order.

The inmate, a certain Jonathan Balo, has filed charges against De Lima, Speaker Prospero Nograles, and six ranking police officials.

Balo, who is charged for two murders, including last year’s killing of a policeman in the Island Garden City of Samal, alleged that he was illegally taken out of his detention cell purportedly to take part in the CHR-led probe on the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS).

“I categorically deny the accusation. I did not do such a thing. I did not order the taking out from jail of the subject detainee. Neither the CHR nor the chairperson has the power to do that. The CHR can never be a party to any irregularity or illegality,” De Lima said.

In a statement, the CHR chief said the mention of her name in what she described as “oft-repeated imputation of political motivations in the ongoing DDS probe” is mere “diversionary” and part of the “black propaganda” against her agency as an institution amid its continuing investigation into the vigilante killings.

This, as De Lima said the CHR has achieved some breakthroughs in its investigation.

“We appeal to certain sectors to spare CHR from these black propaganda and political mudslinging,” she said.

“Ours is a very important institution with a sensitive and crucial mandate under the Constitution,” she added.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera vowed to give process to the inmate’s complaint, which she said “will be treated as an ordinary case that will undergo regular preliminary investigation.”

“I think I will have to assign a prosecutor here in our main office so as to avoid possible influence (from the parties involved),” she added.

In an affidavit filed before the city prosecutor’s office in Panabo City, Balo alleged that Panabo City police chief Alexander Serrano and policeman Rodney Mediqueso took him out of his cell even without a court order.

Balo said he was hesitant to go with the police officers for fear that he might be summarily executed.

Serrano reportedly assured him that he would be brought to the Panabo police station to identify a suspect, but instead he was brought to the Laud quarry site in Barangay Ma-a in Davao City, Balo alleged.

There, he said he was allegedly forced to admit that he was “Danny Balo,” which he denied.

Balo also alleged that a certain Senior Superintendent Roberto Fajardo and Col. Liwag interrogated him at the quarry site, which was also a firing range, and was made to admit that he was a DDS member.

Balo said he was quizzed about the quarry site’s owner, a certain Ben Laud, known as Tatay Ben, a former policeman. Balo said he denied any knowledge about the DDS or any Tatay Ben.

A CHR-led team was searching the quarry site for the supposed remains of victims of the DDS.

Nograles also denied Balo’s allegations, saying he had “no knowledge or any participation in that action.”

Earlier, the CHR reported the discovery of skeletal remains in the Gold Cup Firing Range, a suspected dumping ground of alleged victims of summary executions in Davao City.

The CHR said the property is allegedly owned and operated by SPO4 Bienvenido Laud, alias Tatay Laud, a retired policeman. – With Edu Punay