By Ronron
January 19, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) started on Friday its own internal investigation on the violent raid of its men at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol in Iloilo City last Wednesday to enforce the dismissal of Governor Niel Tupas, Sr.
Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. said in a statement that Director Edgardo Doromal, director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), flew to Iloilo City yesterday to investigate the incident, on instructions of PNP Chief Gen. Oscar Calderon.
“He is set to interview police personnel involved in the operation, as well as other persons who were inside the provincial capitol during the incident,” Pagdilao described Doromal’s tasks in Iloilo City.
Members of the Regional Mobile Group of the Region VI Police drew criticisms for alleged overkill in forcing Tupas to vacate the capitol premises following the service of his dismissal order last Monday by Interior Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar.
The raiding policemen, mostly armed with long firearms and in full battle dress attire, broke glasses to enter the building and pointed guns at civilians inside and outside the capitol.
No less than Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno described the gun-pointing incidents as violative of the police operational procedure.
But Pagdilao said that Calderon hopes “to see a bigger picture of the entire incident, especially the circumstances that lead the police to respond that way,” thus Doromal’s investigation.
“If there were lapses or any violations of PNP regulations, we will be swift and decisive in imposing sanctions,” Pagdilao said.
Initial information reaching Pagdilao’s office showed that the raiding policemen were tasked to carry out three orders.
First is “to bring order and help restore government operations in the capitol, which halted when Gov. Tupas defied the legal orders of (dismissal) and barricaded the government building.”
Second is “to arrest armed persons inside the capitol, i. e. provincial jail guards, civil security of the Office of the Governor, and reported NPA personalities.”
And, third is “to free persons illegally detained inside the capitol building who were refused egress because of the barricade.”
Tupas refused to recognize the Ombudsman’s order, saying he was not given a fair chance to respond to allegations that he and two fellow dismissed Provincial Board Members connived in the malversation of public funds.
Tupas allegedly falsified public documents to allow and approve the grant of financial assistance worth P65,000 for trainings and seminars to Provincial Board members Cecilia Capadosa and Domingo Oso.
“The financial assistance was charged against the Community Direct Action Project (and) there was no proof of such trainings and seminars. Moreover, it was alleged that Gov. Tupas approved the check payable to respondent Capadosa, instead of the account of the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines,” the interior department said, quoting the Ombudsman’s decision.
But the Office of the Ombudsman justified its actions, saying it is not necessary for the respondents to be called to hearings for the cases against them, so long as the documents would suffice in its investigation.
Aside from the dismissal from the service, the penalty against Tupas, Capadosa and Oso also includes cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, the perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service, and to pay a fine of P65,000.00.
But Tupas, after the violent raid, received a copy from the Court of Appeals branch in Cebu of the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) it issued against the Ombudsman’s order, preventing police from physically carrying him out of the capitol building and pacifying later the tension brought about by the police presence.
Tupas has called the Ombdusman decision a political persecution and oppression, him being a member of the Liberal Party, particularly with the faction of Senator Franklin Drilon, who is a known staunch critic of the Arroyo government./DMS
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