‘TOKHANG FOR RANSOM’ IN CEBU?

NBI RAID. NBI Cebu lawyer Arnel Pura (right) faces the drug suspects caught inside an alleged drug den in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City where an estimated P1.2 million worth of shabu was seized on Feb. 1, 2017. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

Senator Panfilo Lacson has asked the top police officials in Cebu to validate reports that there are “Tokhang for ransom” incidents in Cebu City.

Lacson, on Wednesday, said he sent a text message to Chief Supt. Noli Talino, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, last week to confirm the report.

Lacson said he received an email from a person he did not know informing him of “numerous” “Tokhang for ransom” incidents in Cebu City.

The incidents involved policemen arresting people, planting drugs in their possession and then asking for ransom in exchange for their release, according to the senator.

Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, said his office has received several letters pointing to similar cases, including one in Pasay City and in Cebu, since he launched a Senate inquiry into the “Tokhang for ransom” incidents.

To validate the Cebu City report, he said he contacted Taliño and that immediately the PRO-7 chief told him he had checked the incidents but so far nothing has turned up yet.

Lacson said he planned to forward the email report he received to Taliño so this could be validated.

Taliño, sought for comment, said they would look into the alleged “kidnap extortion” racket involving Cebu policemen once they would receive the emailed complaint from Lacson.

Taliño said he also planned to share any information regarding the alleged rogue policemen in Cebu with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), which is now at the forefront of the anti-drugs campaign of the government.

He urged anyone who fell victim to rogue cops in Cebu to report it to him.

“If we have policemen who are involved in ‘kidnap extortion’ rackets, they must face administrative and criminal charges. They will be investigated,” Taliño said.

TALIÑO

Taliño admitted that the decision to keep policemen off anti-drugs operations affected the morale of the police.

“Of course, we’re sad. We’re generally doing well in our campaign against illegal drugs and all of a sudden, this happens,” he said.

“Just because of one or two (rouge) policemen, the entire institution is ruined. Nakakalungot talaga (It is just so sad),” he added.

Taliño added with this message to policemen: “We have several significant accomplishments in our campaign against illegal drugs. Never destroy the image of the police and the government.”

Taliño, on the other hand, said Central Visayas has remained “generally peaceful” two days after the police were stripped of their function to conduct anti-drugs operations.

Except for the killing by policemen in Danao City of an alleged notorious robber, who was also reported to be a drug user, “wala namang nagbago (nothing has changed). We still have a peaceful and manageable peace and order situation in the region,” Taliño told reporters in a news conference yesterday.

He said any information they gather on drug-related case will be forwarded to the PDEA, as ordered by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

Last Monday, Dela Rosa suspended all police anti-narcotics efforts while they prioritize going after rogue policemen.

On orders of President Rodrigo Duterte, Dela Rosa also disbanded the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) following the death of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo in the hands of rogue policemen inside Camp Crame.

Jee was taken from his home in Angeles, Pampanga on Oct. 18, 2016 by policemen of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group in the guise of a drug operation. It was later revealed that the businessman was killed inside the police headquarters in Camp Crame the same day he was abducted.

Welcome news

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma welcomed the decision of the PNP chief to stop all policemen from conducting anti-drug operations while an investigation against erring cops is being conducted.

PALMA

“That is a welcome news for us. After several months of intensive drug campaign and varied reactions from people, it is good to momentarily stop, reevaluate, and rethink how it is going and its implications particularly on the many undesired consequences like so many have died,” he said in an interview during the book signing of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress’ commemorative book at SM City Cebu on Tuesday.

The 66-year-old prelate hoped the PNP would be purged of scalawags in uniform.

“All of us need cleansing but when the government says that, then we know, it wants to convey a message. Any promise like that is good,” he said.

The Catholic Church has repeatedly denounced extrajudicial killings which became rampant when President Duterte unleased a relentless campaign against illegal drugs last July 1.

Palma said it is time for the government and its people to review the war on drugs that has resulted in the death of at least 7,071 drug suspects.

“Extrajudicial killings and even death penalty, to us, is not the way to address the drug problem. We know that like any other person, the President needs our prayers. He has good points but there are also those that are improper. Let us pray for him and one another,” he said.

In Central Visayas, at least 157 drug suspects were so far killed in different operations, while 352 others were gunned down by unknown assailants since July 1.

Road to redemption

Taliño said the police want to redeem themselves by cleaning their ranks of scalawags.

“We temporarily stop our battle against illegal drugs and begin a new war against our own kind who has chosen to stain the name of our PNP organization,” he said in a speech during the donning of ranks of 409 newly promoted police officers at the PRO-7 headquarters yesterday.

Taliño also asked the police to revisit their real mission and purpose to “serve and protect” the community.

“Many of our colleagues may have chosen to tread a much unfamiliar route that have caused their downfall. But those of us who chose to stride to the real path we swore on our oath should continue to strive and do our best to rebuild and bring back the true heart of our organization,” he said.

Shootout

In Danao City, policemen gunned down Herbert Caputol, an alleged robber who reportedly victimized several people in the city.

Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, chief of the Danao City Police, said policemen were forced to shoot Caputol who allegedly tried to engage them in a shootout.

Batobalonos said they have been looking for Caputol and his cohort, who held up several residents in Danao City, when they were alerted on Tuesday night that he was spotted in Barangay Poblacion.

When the police arrived, Batobalonos said Caputol and his companion sped off on board a motorcycle.

The police gave chase and cornered them in Barangay Cambanay, but Caputol drew his .38 caliber gun, prompting the police to shoot him, Batobalonos said.

Caputol died of multiple gunshot wounds on the body. His cohort, identified as a certain Arnel, eluded arrest.

Batobalonos said Caputol was also on the drugs watch list of the police but pointed that the incident that led to Caputol’s death was clearly not an anti-drug operation.

Policemen can still arrest drug suspects caught in the act of selling or possessing illegal drugs, but these suspects have to be immediately turned over to the PDEA.

More PDEA agents needed

PDEA-7 director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said that they would now need to get about 400 additional agents to be more effective in the drug war, as “people are now expecting a lot from PDEA.”

RUIZ

Ruiz has earlier said that with their limited manpower, they can only go after “high-value targets.”

Anyone who wants to be a PDEA agent should be from 21 to 35 years old, 5’2” in height for males; 5 feet in height for females, a baccalaureate degree holder, and eligible for Career Service Second Level Position.

The qualified candidates will be trained by the PDEA Academy.

“Anyone who wants to join us may visit us at our office,” Ruiz said.

NBI

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) also did their share in addressing the drug menace in Cebu.

At noon yesterday, NBI-7 agents led by Special Investigator Arnel Pura arrested an alleged drug pusher and her two cohorts in a drug bust in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

The drug suspect, Aireen Ompad, 26, did not resist arrest, said Pura.

Seized from her were 100 grams of shabu worth P1.2 million and two unlicensed firearms.

Also arrested were Alvin Arnaiz and a 15-year-old boy. Ompad’s live-in partner Arnel Ardeño and a certain Opao eluded arrest.

Ompad denied she was involved in illegal drugs, claiming she was merely washing clothes when the NBI agents arrived./with reports from Correspondent Norman Mendoza and USJ-R Intern Jheycel Ann Tangaro