PRO-6 welcomes probe into deaths in drug war

ILOILO CITY, Philippines —  The Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) said it will cooperate if the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) would investigate deaths linked to its anti-drugs campaign in Western Visayas.

Chief Superintendent John  Bulalacao, regional director of PRO-6, said that like the PNP which is mandated to protect the rights to life, liberty and property of victims, the CHR is also mandated by the Constitution to protect the rights of criminals and suspects.

After all, the police here have nothing to hide because their operations have been done with regularity and with utmost respect for human rights, Bulalacao said.

Further, all police operations resulting in deaths, either among suspected criminals or law enforcers, are also investigated moto propio by the PNP Internal Affairs Service and PNP Human Rights Affairs Office, he said.

“We assure our people that all our efforts are geared towards the attainment of an orderly and peaceful community which is beneficial to all Filipinos,” said Bulalacao.

The region’s top police official’s statement came in the heels of a series of police anti-drugs operations that resulted in the death of the suspects. In a span of nine days, PRO-6 recorded seven fatalities who allegedly put up a fight, or in police parlance “nanlaban.”

The latest fatality was 55-year-old Rex Lagura, barangay captain of Aldeguer village in Sara town of Iloilo. Lagura’s 50-year-old wife Anita was physically unscathed but she was arrested for allegedly conspiring with her husband. Just like the previous incidents, Anita claimed that her husband did not resist.

The six other fatalities in the drug war were: Jonathan Baron, 56, barangay kagawad of Jelicuon Montinola in Cabatuan town on Sept. 5; Alex Blanca Sr, on Aug 27, at Barangay Boulevard in Molo district, Iloilo City; Richard Montefrio Gregori on Aug. 29 at Barangay Ungka 2 in Pavia, Iloilo; Gabriel Poblacion on Sept 2. at Zone 3, Barangay Tacas, Jaro district, Iloilo City; Jennifer Gobatanga, 32, and his cousin, Gayrell Gobatanga, 38, both of La Paz district in Iloilo City, on Sept. 3 at Barangay San Pedro in San Jose, Antique.