PRO-7 says Mandaue buy-bust legitimate
The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 is standing firm on the legitimacy of the buy-bust operation that resulted to the death of the Umpad brothers Monday dawn, amidst the Commission on Human Rights (CHR)'s move to conduct a probe into the incident.
PRO-7 Regional Director Jose Mario Espino said that there is no need for their office to conduct a parallel investigation with the CHR.
Brothers Jerome, 28; Ruben, 25; and Vincent, 26, were killed in a buybust operation conducted by the Mandaue City Police Office Station 3, while the youngest brother, Rustom, 23, was arrested and currently detained.
The three were among the 100 who had availed of the Supreme Court's Enhanced Justice on Wheels (EJOW).
The three were just released from the Mandaue City Jail for charges of murder and direct assault.
The police claimed that the three were newly-identified drug personalities who belonged to the DIA group.
But their mother, Jean, 40, recalled that it is impossible for them to trade dangerous drugs just two days after their release and insisted that the pieces of evidence recovered were planted by police operatives.
The operatives reportedly recovered a .45 caliber pistol, a .357 revolver, a .25 caliber revolver and five small sachets of shabu from the brothers.
Espino said the CHR is free to conduct its own investigation, saying it that it has become a pattern wherein families deny legitimacy of an antiillegal drug operation.
However, Espino did not discount possibilities of doing counter-investigations on policemen involved in the operation, if relatives are able to provide concrete information or witnesses that may disprove the reports.
“This kind of operation, it is normal wherein the families will deny that it is a legitimate operation. But, we are open if they could give us concrete information or any witness that could tell the operation was a violation of our police operational procedures,” Espino said.
He added that the family need not be anxious of their lives and the police force, as he emphasized that the role of a good policeman is to protect the lives of the innocent.
He stressed that the family members are welcome to file complaints, as it will be reviewed and judged appropriately with proper court procedures.
“No, wala dapat ikatakot. Ang police ay protector din nila. At kung may complaints sila, welcome sa amin yun, they could come forward, and file their complaint. Walang problema, it is the court which will later on decide, on who is telling the truth,” Espino said.
He added that the PRO-7 is heading towards curbing all forms of illegal drugs in a way that adheres to police operational procedures, with respect to human rights and strict observance of policies.