By Lane Afable, News Editor
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered an all-out investigation into all complaints and records of discrepancies against Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in the conduct of the drug war during his time as police commander in Davao City up to the time when he became chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said the subpoena against Dela Rosa will be issued on Monday, May 11, by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the body tasked primarily to lead the investigation.
“I am giving my orders to General (Jose Melencio) Nartatez to resume the investigation regarding his (Dela Rosa) previous actions as City of Director of Davao and regional director of Davao Region,” said Remulla.
Remulla said the resumption of the investigation was triggered by ‘what he described’ as a renewed interest amid rumors that an arrest warrant was already issued against Dela Rosa as co-perpetrator of former president Rodrigo Duterte in the case of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
During yesterday’s briefing, Remulla clarified that it has neither seen nor received a copy of either an arrest warrant from the ICC or Interpol Red Notice against Dela Rosa.
“I would like to make it clear that there is a complete disassociation between the ICC and the Philippines. We are not a member. However, in light of this recent conversations and rumors going around, just to set things clear, we decided to do it the proper way, to investigate in the proper way and to debunk all the rumors that have been circulating,” said Remulla.
And although it is related to the drug war, what Dela Rosa would receive on Monday, according to Remulla, is not an arrest warrant but “merely a subpoena” from the CIDG.
“It is a subpoena, Let’s not jump the gun. It is merely a subpoena,” said Remulla when asked if the PNP has the power to arrest Dela Rosa in case he would repeatedly snub the subpoena.
For his part, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. said the report of the Quad-Committee of the House of Representatives will serve as the basis of the probe, as well as other reports and complaints of extra-judicial killings and other abuses.
“The Philippine National Police, through the CIDG wil be giving summons to identified personalities,” said Nartatez.
Remulla said they will be issuing subpoenas in the coming days against any identified personalities in relation to the drug war.
All-out probe
At the height of the international pressure for the Philippine government to investigate the drug war, one of the complaints of the Commission on Human Rights was the limited cooperation of the PNP in revealing all its drug war records.
This time, Remulla said the drug war probe of the PNP will cover all the complaints and records, including the more than 6,000 deaths during police operations and alleged involvement of some policemen in vigilante-type of killing due to alleged reward system.
“We cannot move forward as a country until there is a reconciliation of the truth of what happened in those years.
So this is just the initial step in finding out of what really happened,” said Remulla.
“It is also a strong message to the public that the Philippine National Police stands for accountability.
There are no sacred cows to them, and we are not protecting anyone.”
“Many of these men behind me served under him and are close personal friends.
However, it is duty about everything else.
So tomorrow (Monday), he’s subpoenaed, and it’s part of the process to find accountability to everything that happened in those years, in the dark years where EJK (extra-judicial killings) became a state policy,” he stressed.
The PNP itself conducted investigation into the drug war abuses, some of the folders of questionable operations were forwarded to the Department of Justice.
Counter-evasive maneuver
Remulla earlier said that the DILG will be mobilizing around 10,000 policemen to arrest Dela Rosa but in Sunday’s press briefing, he clarified that it was just a reaction based on the rumors that arrest warrant was already out against Dela Rosa.
In the same briefing, Remulla said he tapped CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico and Calabarzon regional director Brig. Gen. Hansel Marantan to lead the task force in countering what he described as possible evasive maneuver by Dela Rosa.
No EJK
Remulla assure that Dela Rosa will be treated with respect that he deserves as a senator.
“He is a senator, a former chief of the PNP, a former director of the Bucor. We will, and I assure you, there is no, there will be no EJK,” said Remulla.
“We will hand, we will treat him with all respect. There will be no handcuffs. It is merely a subpoena for investigation, not an arrest warrant,” he added.
Dela Rosa went into hiding since November last year ove
