By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
In the recent shooting of alleged drug lord Espinosa (mayor of Albuera, Leyte) in his jail cell, there appears not to be any case filed yet against the CIDG agents.
Then PDu30 came out with a statement that they acted on his direct orders and that he will answer any charges that might be filed against them.
Under these circumstances, it would be foolish to be filing any case against the CIDG agents. Not just yet anyway. If at all a conviction can be secured, PDu30 will just grant them absolute pardon.
So the best move is to just gather and/or preserve evidence and then file the proper cases when PDu30 is not in power anymore. Granting that he will live through his six years term, that is a short period to wait out. And he is not immortal. He can go anytime.
The police can remain comfortable during this administration but there will always be a time for reckoning. The best way for them to ensure the survival of their careers is to try to avoid ‘critical’ or ‘sensitive’ missions or assignments.
All legal requirements must also be satisfied during operations. This might be a tall order because as can be seen in many recent operations where supposed drug dealers were shot to death, there were a lot of loopholes that could have been avoided. These can be used against those involved in the operation after PDu30 goes.
For these loopholes to be properly avoided or covered, law enforcers must keep cool and humble even with their newfound power and support by no less than the President. With humility, a policeman can think clearly on how to cover his back and his career in the years to come no matter what order he must have to obey.
Sadly, humility and cool headedness is a very rare commodity in a person holding and directing the barrel of a gun. Pride and arrogance always get in the way. More so when there is unqualified support all the way to the top. Years after, that same policeman will be on his own. Chances are, if he had been careless, he will end up in the “kangkongan.”
I can foresee that there will be a lot of cases to be filed against law enforcers post PDu30. In short, there will be a lot of work for lawyers.
*** *** ***
The recent admission of Senator Leila Delima of her affair with her former driver and bodyguard was the mother of all legal blunders. If she was playing for public sympathy, it will not be forthcoming.
The affair was certainly a mistake, even a sin, but she could atone for it in so many other ways. Admitting it however in this legal milieu meant that she just dug out her own grave. She can end up being disbarred. How about being criminally prosecuted? Possibly.
*** *** ***
I had a sheriff friend who (with his judge boss) once attended a party thrown by a drug queen in Divisoria. Presumably she belonged to the highest echelon in the illegal drug business in this country. Surprise! Surprise! There were two senators there who are still senators now—and still very vocal during Senate investigations— even after many years. How disgusted this friend of mine was on these hypocrites.
I told him, “This is how it is here. Otherwise it would not be the Philippines.”
*** *** ***
A lot of people are waiting for some high profile ninja cops to be dealt their own brand of justice—that is, with extreme prejudice. This is one way to avoid the increasing number of abusive cops who epitomize the truism (or now a cliche?) “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
They are still waiting.**
