THE “extra-ordinary” committee of Congress composed of four house committees probing the connection between offshore gambling (POGO) involving Chinese syndicates, illegal drugs, extra-judicial killings, and human rights violations during the Duterte administration is veering towards blaming members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the murder of two mayors in Calabarzon.
During the 9th ‘Quadcomm’ hearing last October 22, P/Capt. Kenneth Paul Albotra, assigned at the Region 7 Police Office (Cebu), was cited for contempt and ordered detained in Congress on the motion of Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano, chair of the Committee on Public Accounts.
Aside from Paduano’s committee, the Quadcomm is composed of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs under Surigao del Norte second district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers; Committee on Human Rights under Manila sixth district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante; and, House Committee on Public Order and Safety, Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Daniel ‘Dan’ Fernandez.
The lawmakers raised suspicion that Albotra could be the person tasked to conduct “casing” (intelligence surveillance) of Tanauan City, Batangas, mayor Antonio Halili and Los Baños, Laguna, mayor, Cesar Perez, prior to their murder.
Halili was killed while presiding at the city’s regular flag raising ceremony in front of the Tanauan City Hall building on July 2, 2018, by a sniper armed with a caliber 5.56 assault rifle and died on the spot. His case remains unsolved.
Perez, for his part, was killed on the night of December 3, 2020, while walking inside the municipal hall compound, also by assassins with a 5.56 caliber assault rifle and died on the spot.
Significantly, both officials were included in the so-called ‘Duterte Drug List’ prepared by the past administration.
It can be recalled that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte had ordered the compilation of a list of all those suspected to be involved in the illegal drugs trade.
The list includes not only drug lords, street peddlers and members of the PNP but local officials as well, some of whom eventually ended up dead.
The Quadcomm hearing presented several video clips showing a well-built man wearing a bull cap prowling the vicinity of the Tanauan City Hall and the Los Baños Municipal Hall for several hours, as if conducting a surveillance of these places. This took place before Halili and Perez were killed.
Los Baños councilor Norvin Tamisin, who was subsequently framed by the police to take the blame for Perez’s killing and spent seven months behind bars, told the committee that based on the videos he had seen, he believes that Albotra is the same person seen on the videos.
It was former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma, also former Cebu City Police director, who told the committee during its hearing on October 11 that Albotra even boasted to her that he is “part of the group” involved in the killing of Halili.
Albotra, a seasoned intelligence officer, allegedly made the claim to her when he paid her a courtesy call as the new Cebu City police chief. Garma assumed the post on July 1, a day before Halili’s murder.
Albotra, meanwhile, was reassigned back to Cebu after a short stint at the Calamba City Police Office as an intelligence officer.
‘No sacred cow’
For his part, new interior secretary, Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla, warned rogue policemen they cannot expect any help or support from his office.
“There are no sacred cows in this institution and in this investigation. Anyone who is found guilty will be treated like any other and treated as such, Remulla said,
“There will be no special treatment. They will not be accorded special privileges,” he added during a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City on October 15.
Remulla is the younger brother of Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla. He is seeking re-election as Cavite governor when he was tapped by President Marcos Jr. to head the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) last October 8.
The position was vacated after Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. resigned to run for senator in next year’s midterm election under the administration ticket.
Remulla said he would defer action until the Quadcomm had concluded its investigation.
“Let us wait until the final hearings and recommendations of the [House] Quad Comm are done and then subsequent actions will be taken,” he said.