THE Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) has stated that it will file charges against anyone, including former president Rodrigo Duterte, if evidence warrants it in connection with extrajudicial killings (EJKs).
CIDG acting director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III made this statement during an ambush interview at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday.
When asked about the possibility of including Duterte in the EJKs probe, Torre said, “We will see what direction our investigation will go regarding the cold cases. If we see any links to anyone, including the former president, then so be it. We will include them in the charges if the evidence warrants.”
Torre also indicated that EJKs could be considered murder, stating, “Well, extrajudicial killings, that will be murder, no?”
In response to the CIDG’s statement, former presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo dismissed the possibility of EJKs, arguing that Torre, as a long-time police officer, should know that those killed during the drug war either resisted arrest or posed a threat to law enforcement. Panelo also attributed some deaths to clashes between rival drug syndicates.
Panelo further stated that if evidence of EJKs by police operatives existed, Torre would have already filed charges against the errant officers during his previous stint in the administration.
The CIDG’s statement has raised significant implications for the ongoing investigation into EJKs, particularly given the potential involvement of former President Duterte. The investigation will likely face challenges as it seeks to gather evidence and determine the extent of responsibility for the alleged killings.
