JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said the conviction of four police officers for homicide for the 2016 “Tokhang” killing of a father and his son from Caloocan City should serve as a warning to cops involved in various shenanigans that “no one is above the law, justice will eventually catch up with them.”
Remulla said that contrary to the claims of critical rights groups that victims of the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs will not find justice in the country, the Caloocan City trial court decision proved that the country’s justice system is working.
“This conviction is a milestone in our criminal justice system, a testament of the government’s unwavering efforts to safeguarding human rights in the pursuit of justice and a clear proof of a functioning justice system,” he said.
He added: “This serves as a reminder to abusive police officers that no one is above the law, justice will eventually catch up with them.”
Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 212 Presiding Judge Rowena Violago Alejandria on Tuesday found guilty for homicide Police Master Sergeant Virgilio Q. Servantes, and Police Corporals Arnel de Guzman, Johnston M. Alacre, and Argemio Saguros Jr.
The four cops were charged for the killing of Luis Bonifacio and his son Gabriel in September 2016 at the height of the anti-drug war of the Duterte administration, which was branded as “Oplan: Tokhang.”
Remulla commended the panel of prosecutors who handled the case for successfully securing the conviction of the accused police officers.
“This can be considered a victory against alleged ‘irregularities’ in the past administration’s war on drugs,” he said.
In finding the four police officers guilty, the court said the prosecution was also able to establish that the respondents conspired with each other.
The court junked the respondents’ main defense that they fired only in self defense when they shot the father and son victims.
Luis’ wife, Mary Ann Domingo, has denied that her husband and son were involved in the illegal drugs trade, adding that the former served as a barangay tanod in their place for some time.
Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo echoed Remulla’s statement, saying that the conviction of the cops is proof that the judicial system in the country is functioning.
Panelo, who served as legal counsel and later as spokesman of former President Rodrigo Duterte, said the court ruling also validates the “correct foreign policy” of President Marcos Jr. with regards the alleged “attempt” of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to “assault the country’s sovereignty.”
“The four policemen who were convicted of killing a father and son by a Caloocan court in connection with a police operation relative to the war on drugs declared by former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is an eloquent proof that the judicial system in the country not only is functioning but robust as well,” he said.
“Such conviction also repudiated the theory falsely foisted by the International Criminal Court that the Philippines is incapable of prosecuting those committing crimes against humanity or having the capacity to prosecute them refuses to do so,” he added.
Panelo said it likewise debunks the idea that Duterte did not prosecute errant law enforcers and instead, protected them.
He said while Duterte had often committed to help the policemen who, while performing their duties in accordance with law, were judicially charged, he was equally assertive and steadfast in his resolve to put behind bars those who abuse their authority and caused the deaths or injuries to victims in violation of law. – With Jocelyn Montemayor
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