Twenty-six Davao City policemen were ordered suspended for six months without pay, for their supposed failure to solve summary killings in the city.
Radio dzBB’s Davao affiliate reported Tuesday that the order by graft investigation and prosecution officer Francis Euston Acero covered police personnel assigned to Davao from 2005 to 2008.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by a local non-government organization claiming the Davao Death Squad (DDS) was responsible for the summary execution of more than 800 people so far.
But Police Region 11 spokesman Senior Superintendent Querubin Manalang said the 26 will still continue discharging their duties as there is no suspension order from PNP headquarters in Camp Crame yet.
According to the report, among those on the suspension order are former Davao City police head Superintendent Catalino Cuy and current city police director Senior Superintendent Jaime Morente.
A report on Davao-based Mindanao Daily Mirror identified the other suspended policemen as Chief Inspectors Matthew Baccay, Filmore Escobal, Leandro Felonia, Marvin Manuel Pepino, Ranulfo Cabañog, Vicente Danao, Rebecca Climacosa, Napoleon Eguia, Romeo Morandante, Alden Delvo, Joseph Sepulchre, Dionisio Abude, Juel Neil Salcedo, Joselito Loriza, Joel Neil Rojo;
Senior Inspectors Antonio Alberio Jr, Arnfulfo Mahinay, Leonardo Viduya, and Yolando Bello; Inspectors Rolly Tropico and Maximo Atuel; and Superintendents Harry Espela, Rommil Mitra, and Michael John Dubria.
The Daily Mirror report said the suspension order was dated January 11, but was sent to Camp Crame only last April 16.
It added the order prompted regional police director Chief Superintendent Pedro Tango to call an emergency meeting among the affected officers. — LBG/RSJ
