Special treatment in Duterte’s drug war
than Lt Col Jovie Espenido. In the last four years of the Duterte administration, Espenido’s name has surfaced prominently in reports of drug operations, two of which resulted in the killing of mayors who landed in an earlier drug list.
Both PNP chief Gen Archie Gamboa and Malacanang have gone out of their way to in the narcolist, Panelo forthwith cleared the police officer, declaring: “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte believes that Police Lt Col Jovie Espenido is clean . . . that the reports of his alleged involvement in prohibited drugs are untrue.”
Lucky Espenido – absolutely no investigation necessary for him to earn the Palace’s date if the police officers had indeed been in cahoots with drug traders.” Well, that’s much more time than the cops have extended to the thousands they have killed, maimed and arrested in the name of the war on drugs.
Indeed, ever since the presence of police in a drugs watchlist was revealed, Gamboa and the Office of the allowed to retire with benefits intact and no administrative case against them.
Malacanang agreed, despite the fire and brimstone from the president whenever he mentions drugs or corruption in government.
Sources from within the PNP also note that some of t he 357 police on t he list have even been promoted to higher ranks and positions in recent years. At the same time, Gamboa is refusing to comment further on the police’s damning presence in t he list, say ing t he policemen deser ve “respect” and that he “had made a promise” to the 357 that he would “obser ve confidentia lit y” on t he matter.
Again, may we point out the stark contrast in the way the police are handling the case of their fellow cops in the list, and the way they have gone hammer and tongs against drug suspects, most of them poor and powerless. In this country, there is one law for the poor, another for the police.