COUNCILORS, POLICE OFFICIAL SUGGEST: INSTEAD OF P50K CASH, WHY NOT GIVE POLICE A TEAM OF PRO BONO LAWYERS?

Opposition councilors and a police official suggested forming a legal team to help police officers who get sued as a consequence of their work. They raised this idea as an alternative to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s plan to give P50,000 for legal assistance directly to the police. Besides, Councilor Raymond Garcia pointed out in a press conference, P50,000 wouldn’t be enough for a lawyer’s acceptance fee, let alone a full legal defense. Supt. Artemio Ricabo, deputy director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office, said that the force would welcome help from pro bono lawyers who can helo them press charges against drug personalities or answer counter-cases filed against them.

Instead of giving the P50,000 legal assistance directly to the police, opposition councilors and a police official suggested to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to form a legal team to help police officers who may face legal battles in relation to their job.

In a news conference yesterday, Councilor Raymond Garcia said the City can form a legal team, including lawyers who are employed in the City Legal Office who have the authority to maintain a private practice, to assist law enforcers.

“If the intention is to help the policeman who needs lawyers to handle his case, then why can’t the City create a special team of lawyers just to answer incidents when a policeman will be sued because he shot someone in the line of duty?” he said.

In criminal cases, Garcia, who is also a lawyer, said that P50,000 is not enough to cover everything. For the acceptance fee alone, the P50,000 is not enough.

“If you give to the police the P50,000 cash, do you think all the P50,000 will be paid to a lawyer. A policeman has needs also,” he said.

Supt. Artemio Ricabo, CCPO deputy director for administration, said that the city police force welcomed the P50,000 legal aid promised by the mayor to any police officer who can kill a pusher in a legitimate drug bust.

The police official, however, suggested that they would be glad to accept pro bono lawyers who can assist them in filing cases against drug personalities or in facing cases filed against police officers.

“It would be better if we will be given a lawyer because the P50,000, in the long run, will not be enough,” he said.

He said that the CCPO does not encourage their police officers to kill pushers or other criminals.

“It should only happen when their (cops) lives are in danger. In other words, when the suspects fight back because we also have to preserve our lives,” Ricabo said. “It is better to live. We have encouraged our police personnel to follow the rules of engagement and respect human rights.”

Councilor Joel Garganera, for his part, said there are really police officers who are reluctant in carrying out their duties because of the legal consequences that they may face.

However, Garganera, who is also the chairman of the Police Advisory Council, said that if the mayor really wants to help, he should not set conditions on the police before they can avail themselves of any assistance.

By killing the suspect, Garganera said, other principal suspects, particularly those who induced someone to commit the offense, will not be known.

Asked if their stand won’t affect the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte against illegal drugs, Garcia clarified that the former was clear in his directive to the police to use all the legal means possible.

“In doing such arrest or operation, if there is an eminent danger, that’s the time they can engage. He (Duterte) has been consistent with that and we support that. What we don’t like is that when a policeman will just

It would be better if we will be given a lawyer because the P50,000, in the long run will not be enough. SUPT. ARTEMIO RICABO CCPO deputy director for admin

arbitrarily shoot even if there is no clear and eminent danger. They should follow the rules of engagement,” he said. /