Palace defends Duterte's move to reactivate cops in slay case

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella defended President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to reinstate cops implicated in the murder of former Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa.

Philippines — Malacañang was on a defensive mode on Friday as it tried to rationalize the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to reinstate several policemen accused of involvement in the killing of a former mayor while under government custody, saying that cops were “abiding the rule of law.”

Ernesto Abella, a presidential spokesman, defended Duterte’s move to return to active duty status Superintendent Marvin Marcos and 18 of his men, saying they were already eligible to be reactivated after serving their respective suspensions.

“The reinstatement of the superintendent is basically in compliance with the fact that he was suspended and that the suspension has been served, and he is now eligible to return to duty. In other words, he is abiding by the rule of law,” said Abella, visibly groping for words to explain the chief executive’s move.

On Wednesday, Duterte announced that he had ordered the reinstatement of Marcos since he was not directly involved in the operation that led to the deaths of former Abuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa and his cell mate Raul Yap.

Marcos was the leader of the regional police unit under which the 18 policemen conducted the operation that led to the killings of Espinosa and Yap.

Duterte’s belief is in direct contradiction of the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation’s and Senate panels’ probes.

In December last year, the National Bureau of Investigation disputed police claim that Espinosa died in a shootout in a jail in Leyte, saying his death was a “rub out.”

Two Senate committees, in a 34-page report released early this year, said that the police officers killed Espinosa to conceal their involvement in the illegal drugs trade run by the son of the former mayor, Kerwin.

It also chided Duterte for “micromanaging” the police after the president countermanded a decision of PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa to relieve Marcos for lack of qualifications for his rank and his alleged involvement in the trade of illicit drugs.

Soon after Marcos’ reinstatement, Espinosa ended up dead in government custody.

The Senate panels’ report also said that the murder was premeditated and involved an abuse of authority.

“[T]he Committees are convinced that the circumstances point out to a systematic 'clean up' made on any living trace that may reveal their involvement in the Espinosa drug trade,” it read.

Many senators could not hide their disgust at the decision on Thursday.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, the head of one of the two Senate panels, used Duterte’s favorite expression to air his frustration at the president’s decision: “In sum, there is a phrase to describe this whole damn thing: "Put*ng I*a!”

The president’s move to return to active service Marcos and his men may be motivated by his fear that the cops could divulge details of his involvement, according to Sen. Antonio Trillanes, a staunch presidential critic.

“Duterte not only set the murderers free, he now gave back their badges and guns so they could murder again with impunity. Why? Because Duterte fears that these policemen might rat out on him for what they know about his involvement in the Espinosa murder,” he said.

When asked if the president’s decision would dishearten honest security personnel in the service, Abella replied: “As far as we know the morale of the Armed Forces is very high.”