THE House Committee on Public Order and Safety has decided to extend its inquiry against policemen involved in the alleged illegal arrest of four Chinese nationals in Parañaque September last year after the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership failed to comply in the hearing.
“May I remind our officials from the PNP that this is a congressional inquiry, this is not a talk show, this is not a press conference na pwede niyong i-withhold (ang mga impormasyon),” House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo, of ACT-CIS partylist, told the PNP officials during the resumption of inquiry on Monday.
Due to the latest development, the detention of eight police officers was also extended. The cops were detained recently after they were cited in contempt for continuous lying before the committee hearings. “Gusto na sana naming i-dismiss na itong investigation at palayain na yung mga pulis na na-contempt pero wala tayong magawa kundi ituloy ito,” said Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, chair of the said committee. It was started when Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop cited the PNP for not complying with the request of 1-Rider partylist Rep. Bonifacio Bosita to the PNP, particularly the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) to submit all the names of dismissed police personnel. Acop got irked when Col. Lynette Tadeo of the PNP-DPRM said they failed to comply with the request citing the provision in the RA 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012. “Sinasabi ko na nga basahin nyo kasi ang batas na sinasabi niyo. Hindi naman absolute may exemption. Baka akala niyo hindi kami nagbabasa dito e,” Rep. Acop, who is also a lawyer scolded the police official.
Acop cited Section 13, Paragraph (F) of the said law stating: “The processing concerns such personal information as is necessary for the protection of lawful rights and interests of natural or legal persons in court proceedings, or the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims, or when provided to government or public authority.”
“This body has Constitutional and statutory mandate. Sabihin mo sa boss mo.” Acop said insisting that they have the mandate to require police authorities to submit the said documents. Rep. Tulfo, for his part, warned of another contempt if the PNP still failed to submit the requirement being asked by Rep. Bosita.
“Kasi baka ang sumunod dito kayo ang ma-contempt for not following instructions from the committee. Wag niyo po balewalain ang committee na ito,” Rep. Tulfo averred.
“This is an inquiry, kung wala kayong tiwala sa inquiry meron din kaming executive session which is a close door,” Tulfo added.
“Mga national security issues we handle that here. We go to executive session. Kaya wag nyo idahilan na hindi nyo maibigay.” The official replied that they will comply. Tulfo added that with the recent development, the public might think that the PNP is trying to cover up the involvement of their colleagues.
“Sa ginagawa niyong yan, may mga media tayo na nagko-cover ngayon. Lumalaki ang kaso iisipin na naman na nagkakaroon tayo ng stereotyping. Na everytime na may kasalanan ang mga kabaro niyo ay pinagtatakpan ng liderato,” Tulfo noted. The hearing will be scheduled next Monday.
