Senator Richard Gordon slammed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa for failing to tell President Duterte that reinstating Supt. Marvin Marcos and 18 other cops involved in the murder of Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. would be bad for the police force.
“There are cowards around the President who are not telling the truth,” Gordon told reporters in an interview at his office on Thursday.
“Ang hirap sa PNP hindi nila ina-advise-an ang Presidente. Dapat sinasabi nila na nakakasama sa police force ’yang ginawa niyang ’yan,” Gordon said.
The senator said President Duterte will be on a “dangerous ground” if his men would continue giving him bad advice.
“I respect the President, but I must say that people around him should pay him a lot more respect by telling him the truth,” he added.
Opposition lawmakers from the independent minority bloc on Thursday also decried the reinstatement of Marcos and 18 other cops who were charged for killing Espinosa Sr.
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano called the cops’ reinstatement the “height of impunity” which he said was consistent with President Rodrigo Duterte’s vow to protect cops and soldiers from detention even if they violate human rights.
“The reinstatement of Supt. Marcos et al. to active duty is the height of impunity. This is line with Duterte’s statement that no military or police should be detained in obeying his orders implying that even if it violates due process of law and human rights,” Alejano said.
Alejano said Marcos and the other cops’ reinstatement sends a signal that the President would protect cops even though they commit illegal acts and human rights violations.
For his part, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said their reinstatement is a “travesty of justice and the rule of law.”
“It doesn’t make sense why a police officer indicted for murder would be reinstated,” Villarin said.