DAVAO CITY , Philippines – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gave up yesterday his control over the city’s police force and the Army-led Task Force Davao following allegations he was behind the Davao Death Squad reportedly responsible for the spate of unexplained killings here.
In his letter to the National Police Commission, Duterte named Davao City police director Senior Superintendent Ramon Apolinario as the new deputized Napolcom representative in the city.
Under Section 455 of the Local Government Code, one of the city mayor’s tasks is to act as deputized representative of the Napolcom and assume operational control and overall supervision over the city’s police force, he added.
Duterte also wrote Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano about his decision to free himself from involvement in the city’s security.
He named Lt. Col. Oscar Lactao of Task Force Davao City to carry out the security-related functions that he had relinquished.
Commission on Human Rights Chairman Leila de Lima said vigilantes were behind the deaths of hundreds of people in Davao City over the past 11 years.
Speaking at a hearing into the killings, De Lima said she was “bothered by statements attributed to (Duterte)... which tend to condone this phenomenon of illegal or vigilante-style killings.”
“These killings are reported by the media but the local police would be hard-pressed in validating the incidents, not just investigating them,” she said.
De Lima said she was concerned about Duterte’s comments that Davao City was free of crime while expressing no alarm about the killings.
The victims were usually people with criminal records like petty thieves, gang members, and juvenile delinquents, including children who sniffed glue, she added.
De Lima said the vigilante-killers usually struck singly or in twos.
“They are not covering their faces anymore,” she said. “They are that brazen.”
De Lima and CHR commissioners Victoria Cardona and Norberto de la Cruz are also set to hear today the case of the torture, rape and slay of Rebelyn Pitao, 21-year-old daughter of New People’s Army commander Leoncio Pitao, alias Commander Parado.
Rebelyn’s body was found in a shallow creek in Carmen, Davao del Norte last March 5, a day after she was snatched while on her way home to Barangay Aplaya, Davao City.
House to probe killings
Speaker Prospero Nograles said yesterday he has given the House committee on human rights a free hand to investigate reports of unexplained killings in Davao City, where his political nemesis, Rodrigo Duterte, is mayor.
“Let’s be very clear that this is not a political issue,” he said.
“The House is stepping in since it now appears that the brutal murder of Rebelyn Pitao is intertwined with the other killings. We have to expand the investigation to cover other summary executions.”
In a statement, Nograles said he supports the investigation being conducted by the Commission on Human Rights on the series of killings in Davao City.
Nograles directed Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III to conduct a parallel inquiry.
“I fully support the CHR probe and the House will do its part to get to the bottom of these cold-blooded executions and assassinations,” he said.
“There should be no whitewash. The House will give top priority to this issue when Congress resumes session and summon all those involved to appear in the House under penalty of law.”
“We should put an end to these shameful acts of unbridled human rights abuses, not only in Davao City but in other parts of our country.”
Nograles said Tañada’s committee will be given a free hand in conducting the probe to avoid suspicion that the House investigation is a mere case of political intramurals in Davao City.
“It should also make an inquiry on how the Davao City government is spending its discretionary peace and order funds which amounts to P476 million per year,” he said.
“The Commission on Audit should also be invited to enlighten the public on why Davao City has so many unsolved killings despite the city’s colossal budget on discretionary peace and order funds.” – With Delon Porcalla