CAYETANO: PENALIZE COPS WHO FAIL TO ATTEND PROBES

Sen. Renato 'Companeroa Cayetano will file a resolution asking the Senate
Committees on Justice and Human Rights and Public Order and Illegal Drugs
to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the alleged negligence of
duty by PNP personnel led by Chief Insp. Napoleon Villegas for their
failure to attend three hearings in a case involving five Chinese chemists
that were arrested in a makeshift laboratory in Pasig City where six kilos
of "shabu" and several drums of chemicals for the manufacture of illegal
drugs were seized.

Following the non-appearance of Villegas and his men in the hearings,
Chinese nationals Chua Chuy Li, Xing Fu Wang, Joey Lu Cruz, Huang Hong Wei
and Tomas Lu were granted R700,000 bail by Judge Rodrigo Lorenzo of the
Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 266.

According to Cayetano, there are guidelines set by the National Police
Commission that compels police officers to appear in trials and
investigations when properly notified and subpoenaed.

"Memorandum Circular No. 96-006 of the National Police Commission
(Napolcom) classifies as a grave administrative offense any willful and
unjustifiable non-appearance of a PNP member before the court, prosecutors
office, People's Law Enforcement Board (PLEB), hearing officer or any
tribunal or officer authorized by law to hear cases, and prescribing the
appropriate penalty for such offenses,a" said Cayetano.

"Article 208 of the Revised Penal Code provides for the penalty of prison
correccional in its minimum period and suspension on 'any public officer,
or officer of the law, who in dereliction of his duties of his office,
shall maliciously refrain from instituting prosecution for the punishment
of violators of the law, or shall tolerate the commission of offenses,' "
Cayetano added.

"There are several cases wherein those accused of heinous crimes have been
acquitted because of the non-appearance of police officers in court
proceedings or investigations. The law must be imposed on erring police
officials for failure to attend," said Cayetano.