Still reeling from the dismissal of the complaint against alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, among others, National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald M. dela Rosa said that President Duterte will review every case relating to illegal drugs that will be dismissed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“He told me that he is going to review. He is going to use his power to review over resolutions coming out from the DOJ, especially resolutions dismissing drug cases,” the PNP chief told reporters at a news briefing on Monday.
Dela Rosa said he was told by the President of his decision during their conversation in Baguio City, where they both attended the graduation ceremony at the Philippine Military Academy on Sunday.
Duterte’s decision had been prompted by the dismissal of the charges against Espinosa, tagged as the top drug lord in Eastern Visayas, and several others by DOJ prosecutors, due to a weak evidence, according to government prosecutors.
The PNP has since filed for an appeal through an automatic review by Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II.
Dela Rosa echoed the disappointment of the PNP over the dismissal of the case, saying policemen are putting their lives on the line just to get those involved in the illegal- drugs trade, and yet in the end, the suspects will just go scot free.
“We are the ones building up those cases. Do you expect us to be happy? Our policemen are getting killed in this war on drugs…[and yet[ the cases are [being] dismissed. What do you expect?” he said.
In a 41-page resolution approved by Acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan dated December 20, 2017, a panel of prosecutors declared that the “uncorroborated statements” of the complainant’s witness, Marcelo Adorco, could not be admissible evidence against Espinosa and several other drug personalities.
The resolution described Adorco as an “evidently self-serving witness.”
Aguirre has already formed a three-man panel of prosecutors tasked to handle the motion for reconsideration filed by the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
In Department Order 152, Aguirre had also ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the state prosecutors who composed the panel that dismissed the charges.
Dela Rosa said there is a need for the PNP, particularly the CIDG, and the DOJ to work together in strengthening cases against suspected big-time drug lords.
“This should serve as a wakeup call for us to work harder,” he said.
He also vowed there will be no letup in the PNP’s war against illegal drugs despite the setback.
Dela Rosa stuck to his earlier statement that Duterte hurt his hand after punching a wall in Malacañang in frustration after learning the dismissal of the case against the suspected druglords who were all included in his “narco list.”
Earlier, Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr. said that he did not see the hand of the President which dela Rosa claimed was hurt.
“I already said so, that’s it,” dela Rosa said.