(Eagle News) — The police official who led a raid against drug suspects in a Leyte jail in 2016 but who faced criminal charges after they were killed during the operation has been reinstated.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa confirmed in a radio interview that Supt. Marvin Marcos was “back to full duty status.”
This means, he said, that he could be “utilized again by the PNP for whatever assignment na pwedeng ibigay sa kaniya.”
He later confirmed Marcos now headed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 12.
Marcos led the 18-man police team that served a search warrant against then-Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was detained at the Leyte subprovincial jail on drug-related charges, and was the father of known druglord Kerwin Espinosa, in November 2016.
During the operation, Espinosa and another drug suspect detained in the jail, Raul Yap, were killed.
Members of the team argued Espinosa and Yap, who were in possession of a firearm and illegal drugs, had tried to shoot at them, prompting them to fire back.
Marcos and several members of the team have been criminally charged over the drug suspects’ deaths.
On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated he wanted Marcos reinstated, noting that he was not with the police team when the raid was conducted.
He added that he would “never ever” allow any member of the government security force to go to jail for “doing his duty and obeying” his order.
“Sabi may kaso. And so? Yung criminal, may presumption of innocence, ang government (worker) hindi. Why is that stupid rationale (there) e. E wala sir, buhayin mo because of presumption of innocence. Pagdating ng tagagovernment, p***** i**, kung ano ano nalang pagsasabi ninyo. (Dapat) tabla,” he had said.
He emphasized that if government security forces and personnel in general were convicted for “doing their jobs and following his orders,” they would “also be pardoned (and their full rights) restored.”
The President, however, clarified that he would never interfere in any investigation or judicial process, and would only exercise his privilege to pardon that is enshrined in the Constitution after his men undergo the entire process when charged.
“Give me a good reason why I should not protect government men, security forces and all, at bakit ako (magproprotekta) sa mga kriminal na wala na ginawa kundi (krimen),” he had said.