CHR rates cops fair on summary killings

Despite the many unsolved vigilante-style killings being taken into account, the Commission on Human Rights rates the police fairly in its effort to solve these cases.

In a scale of 1 to 10, CHR regional director Alejandro Alonzo gave a rating of five for the police’s effort in solving the vigilante-style killings.

Alonzo said the police could not be accused of not doing anything about it.

He said most if not all of the investigations did not prosper because of lack of witnesses.

Even the CHR was forced to archive at least 70 cases that they investigated also because of the same problem.

According to Alonzo, they have conducted their own investigation into possible human rights violations in at least 70 of the more than 200 summary executions in Cebu involving suspected criminals since 2004.  The probe was done due to reports that some members of the law enforcement agency may have been involved.

However, they were forced to archive these cases because no witnesses have come forward to cooperate with them. Until such time that there will be witnesses who will testify in the alleged involvement of the law enforcers in these vigilante-style killings, these more than 70 cases will remain in the archive.

“We are not able to come up with concrete evidence,” Alonzo said.

He added that there is also no basis to link the police into these killings. Even the police failure to solve these killings is not enough to make conclusion that they are behind it.

Asked if they will be conducting an investigation into the recent killings wherein three suspected swindlers, who have just posted bail were ambushed in barangay Kalunasan, Alonzo said they will leave the investigation to the police.

Alonzo explained that the police who have the expertise and resources to make the investigation.

Meanwhile, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Democrito Barcenas urged the police to solve the vigilante killings to dispel suspicions that they are behind it.

Barcenas, who has been very vocal against it, said that it is not enough the police would claim that the one responsible for these killings are the members of the syndicate where the victims belong.

“Kung gipatay sa ilang kauban nganong wa man sila kasulbad nga 200 na man kapin,” Barcenas said over radio station dyLA.

Barcenas said it is unfair for these victims, because while they were not given a chance to reform there are corrupt government officials who have been stealing millions from the government remain scot-free.

“Ang mga kawatan nga pobre maoy giduot unya ang mga kawatan nga dagko kinsa may mopatay ana?,” asked Barcenas.

The IBP earlier attempted to embark an investigation into these killings but likewise came out futile. Former IBP president Alex Tolentino earlier announced that they have already identified the vigilantes and claimed that they even have pictures, but until now no charges have been filed. – Fred P. Languido/NLQ