EXCLUSIVE: COPS BEHIND SUMMARY EXECUTION OF CRIMINALS

THE snail-paced criminal justice system in the country has prompted
some police officers to act as judge and executioner of recidivist
criminals.

But what is more alarming are policemen executing criminals who fail
to fork over weekly or monthly protection money like the four men who
were found in Novaliches, Quezon City early morning Tuesday with their
throats slashed. Their families are claiming they were killed by
policemen for failing to pay protection money.

A Philippine National Police official who spoke to the People's
Journal on condition of anonymity admitted there are some elements of
the PNP who specialize in "salvaging," a police term for summary execution.

"But that is not being authorized by the PNP leadership. It's against
the law to murder a hapless person even if he is a known criminal," he
said.

The official said that during his younger days, he also experienced
similar extra-judicial operations involving hardened criminals, mostly
rapists and bus and jeep robbers who had killed a number of their victims.

"That happened during the old Constabulary days. But what is happening
right now is that there are some cops who have been turning criminals
into milking cows and later executing them once they failed to come
across," he said.

The source said that it is most likely that cops-turned vigilantes are
behind the dumping of the bodies of suspected criminals in Metro
Manila and other parts of the country including Davao City which is
notorious for vigilante killings.

Almost every day, tattooed bodies turn up in different parts of the
metropolis, particularly in Quezon City and Manila. The victims were
either strangled, stabbed or shot to death. In most cases, the killers
left cardboards at the bodies of the victims with the words 'Huwag
pamarisan, holdupper ako' (Don't imitate. I'm a holdupman) or 'Huwag
pamarisan, drug pusher ako. (Don't imitate. I'm a drug pusher.)

Other victims of summary executions had their bodies punctured with
blunt instruments or even ice picks and their faces covered with
masking tape.

There were also cases of victims of "salvagings" whose bodies were
chopped into pieces and thrown in different parts of a particular city
to mislead investigators.

"What we're seeing is a signature style among cops-turned vigilantes.
This is their trademark," the official said.

He explained that in most cases, vigilante groups prey on hardened
criminals. "Target nila yung mga halang na ang kaluluwa at labas-balik
lang ng kulungan. Eto yung mga recidivists na matatawag na talagang
wala ng pag-asa pang magbago at pati kanilang pamilya ay
bibiktimahin," he said.

He explained that the slow criminal justice system in the country also
sparks vigilante killings.

"Maraming mga kaso na natutulog lang. Merong mga kilalang sila na
talaga ang gumawa ng krimen pero hindi agad mahuli at maipakulong
dahil sa kulang ang ebidensiya. Kaya merong mga kaso na itinutumba ang
mga suspects at binibintang sa mga rebelde. It's a convenient excuse,"
he said.

But PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Joel R. Goltiao said "salvaging" is
taboo in the police force.

"Summary execution is murder and has no place in a civilized society.
The PNP strictly adheres to the rule of law and respect for human
rights, therefore, we are among the first to condemn extreme acts of
vigilantism that attempt to solve crime by committing another crime,"
he said.

"Whoever the victims are, even if they are the most hardened
criminals, they too deserve to have their day in court and their
arguments heard. Only then can justice take its course," Goltiao told
PJ.

The families of the four men whose bodies were found on Sauyo Road
charged that some lawmen were behind their murder.

In an interview over TV Patrol Tuesday, the victims' kin admitted that
the four were robbers and snatchers under the employ of several
policemen whom they identified only through their aliases.

The complainants charged that the policemen were asking at least
P10,000 a week from the victims in exchange for letting them freely
carry out their illegal activities.