MANILA - Minority senators on Tuesday filed a resolution seeking an inquiry on the Department of Justice's (DOJ) decision to downgrade murder charges against policemen tagged in the slay of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. in his cell last November.
Senate Resolution No. 417 filed by Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Leila de Lima, Bam Aquino, and Antonio Trillanes IV sought the investigation as it expressed "grave concern" over the downgrade of charges from murder to homicide, allowing the accused to post bail.
The senators argued that there was no new evidence or compelling reason for the DOJ to reverse its previous finding of probable cause to charge the involved cops with murder, which meant the slay was premeditated.
"The Senate express its grave concern over the decision of the Department of Justice to downgrade the charges against members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Region 8 (CIDG-*) from murder to homicide for the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.," the resolution read.
The Senate last year investigated Espinosa's death and found that the slay was "premeditated and [carried out] with abuse of authority" on the part of police operatives.
But upon review, a DOJ panel downgraded the murder charges against 19 police officers to the bailable offense of homicide citing the absence of evident premeditation. The accused are now out on bail.
The senators added that the downgrading of charges also fueled fears of police impunity.
"The downgrading of the criminal charges against the officers of the CIDG-8 fuels fears of a growing police impunity in the country and sends a disturbing message that law enforces are exempt from the rule of law, and that abuses committed by policemen- purportedly in the course of their official duties- will be tolerated and the Constitutional guarantees of due process and the right to life, liberty and property may be ignored," the resolution read.
Drilon has previously slammed the decision and warned that the public may soon lose faith in law enforcement.
"There is a conspiracy to go around the rule of law, and it’s really unfortunate because this encourages impunity," he told ANC's Headstart last week.
"If we don’t do something about this, then people will just lose their faith in our ability to enforce the rule of law," he added.
Espinosa and fellow inmate Raul Yap ended up dead in a predawn CIDG-8 operation at their cell at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail. Police claimed the two inmates had resisted arrest just as operatives were serving search warrants for alleged possession of illegal drugs and firearms.