Senator Bam Aquino has filed a resolution seeking to investigate the operation of a secret jail cell discovered in a police station in Manila, as he called on the Philippine National Police to clean up its ranks to bring legitimacy to the government’s drug war.
“As the government’s enforcement arm in its war against illegal drugs, the PNP should safeguard the public’s trust by ensuring that abusive policemen are investigated and punished accordingly,” Aquino said in Senate Resolution No. 348.
The senator stressed an upstanding police force must go hand-in-hand with the administration’s war against drugs to earn public trust.
“The police should give importance to public trust especially that the priority is the drug war. Any abuses like the secret jail discovered inside the police station is unacceptable,” Aquino said.
The secret jail cell was discovered by a team from the Commission on Human Rights inside the Raxabago Police Station in Tondo, Manila. Twelve persons were inside the hidden cell, where they were detained for at least 10 days even without the filing of proper charges.
The CHR also discovered the arrests of the 12 detainees were not recorded. Also, families of the detainees claimed that elements of the PNP Drug Enforcement Unit were asking for money, ranging from P40,000 to P100,000, in exchange for their release.
Aquino said the probe is aimed at ensuring that the rights of those under custodial investigation or detention by the PNP are protected.
Earlier, the lawmaker called on the government not to treat with kid gloves erring policemen who were behind the secret jail cell, insisting they should be held accountable for their actions.
If the PNP will not take the necessary steps to hold erring policemen accountable for their illegal acts, Sen. Bam said abuses such as the secret jail cell will continue and even flourish.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson earlier said it is likely there are other secret jails in other police stations, as he called on the PNP to expand its investigation on the issue.
Lacson noted that since the discovery of the secret jail is an “eye opener,” the PNP should initiate a probe to determine if there are other existing secret cells that were not registered.
The senator, who was PNP chief during the term of former President and current Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, scoffed at police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa for defending cops assigned to the Tondo police station where the secret jail was found.
“There’s no reason for chief PNP Dela Rosa to defend the existence of the secret cell. Right in front of you, the violation is being committed because it is clear in the Constitution, it is clear in the law, secret prison cell is not allowed. So from there, an action should be taken against the police officers concerned,” he added.
Lacson said he felt it was necessary to call out Dela Rosa because he wants him to succeed in his post.
Dela Rosa served under Lacson when the latter headed the now-defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.
“I have always wanted him to succeed for obvious reasons. That why when I see or hear (Dela Rosa’s) reaction on issues, I cannot help but correct on the spot because I want him to succeed,” Lacson said.