10 QC POLICE OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH

MANILA (AP) - A former chief of the Quezon City police and nine other
officers were sentenced to death yesterday for accepting a total of
P650,000 in bribes from alleged drug dealers.

Supt. Francisco Ovilla and his nine subordinates were meted the capital
punishment because the law stipulated that the punishment for law enforcers
accepting bribes is equivalent to the penalty for the original offense
committed by the bribers.

In this case the bribers offered the money to cover alleged drug
trafficking, a crime punishable by lethal injection.

Judge Diosdado Peralta of the regional trial court in suburban Quezon City
also sentenced the officers to six to 12 years in prison for violating the
anti-graft law. One officer was acquitted.

Two of Ovilla's subordinates - Reynato Resurreccion and Wilfredo Gonzales -
testified that the officer took the bribe after arresting two men who sold
1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu" to an undercover
officer on Aug. 22, 1999.

The two alleged drug dealers were freed and have not been arrested since.

Officer Gonzales testified that Ovilla tried to give him R15,000 as his
"share" of the bribe but he refused the money.

Ovilla did not testify at his trial but denied any wrongdoing in earlier
press interviews.

Philippine National Police chief Leandro Mendoza hailed the court's
verdict, saying the decision "strengthens the resolve of the Philippine
National Police to cleanse its ranks of undesirable policemen."

He also recommended the promotion of Gonzales and Resurreccion "for blowing
the whistle that uncovered the drug bribery scandal."

Under the law, death penalties are automatically reviewed by the Supreme Court.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez last week said he opposes the death
penalty and said he will try to prevent executions in his term.

Mendoza

Deputy Director General Leandro R. Mendoza, acting chief of the Philippines
National Police (PNP), approved yesterday the promotion to the next higher
rank of the two policemen who testified against 10 other policemen involved
in the escape of two foreign drug traffickers in Quezon City.

In a press conference, Mendoza also welcomed the guilty verdict handed down
by a Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) against Supt. Francisco Ovilla
and nine other members of the Central Police District.

Based on the recommendation of CPD director Chief Supt. Victor Luga,
Mendoza approved the meritorious promotion of SPO3 Reynato Resurreccion and
PO3 Wilfredo Gonzales, both members of the CPD Station 8 located in Project
2, Quezon City.

Mendoza said the bravery of the two police officers isworthy of emulation
by their peers and "I am hoping that all PNP personnel will steadfastly
guard the organization against the bad eggs no matter who they are."

Resurreccion and Gonzales were part of a police team that arrested the two
drug traffickers at the SM Mall on North EDSA, Quezon City.

The two told court authorities that the arrest of the two was not reported
to the CPD officials, as well as the confiscation of some 1.5 kilograms of
shabu in the operation. (Aris R. Ilagan)

DrugWatch

DrugWatch Executive Director Susan V. Ople yesterday lauded the decision of
Judge Diosdado Peralta of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court meting the
death penalty on Supt. Francisco Ovilla and nine other policemen for
releasing two Taiwanese drug traffickers in 1999 in exchange for R650,000
cash, drugs, and a car.

"While we sympathize with the families of these 10, we at DrugWatch support
the decision of the Honorable Judge Diosdado Peralta. We hope this decision
will serve as a warning to policemen not to be blinded by the bribe money
from druglords and for them to uphold the people's interest at all times,"
Ople said.

DrugWatch officials said the decision could be a turning point in the
people's campaign against corruption in the police force.

The anti-drugs group urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to check
reports of recycling of shabu by some policemen seized in buy-bust operations.