Gordon wants Congress to get regular reports on killings

Sen. Richard Gordon on Wednesday said he wants Congress to receive regular police reports on killings within their jurisdictions amid the rising number of fatalities in the government's anti-crime war.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate justice committee, said lawmakers discovered that many killings have gone unnoticed. "Passivity, complacency—you name it, we did it, except active participation on solving the problem. I’m glad that the tip of the iceberg discovered the whole iceberg," he said.

He said the committee's recommendation is to require policemen to report all the killings under their jurisdiction, which will then be reported to Congress regularly.

"So kung walang ginagawa and they’re not doing anything about it, we can call the Provincial Director or the PNP (Philippine National Police) Director General and say, ‘O these guys, may 200 killings. Anong ginagawa ninyo na solution?’," he said.

"Kailangan naka-focus ka. If the people know it’s focused, malalaman nilang ang dami palang pinapatay, then there’s something that’s happening because the law will now require the police to submit that," he said.

(You should be focused. If the people know it's focused, they will know that there are many people being killed, then there ’s something that’s happening because the law will now require the police to submit that.)

A total of 5,882 people have been killed across the country since President Rodrigo Duterte launched his intensified campaign against illegal drugs, latest data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed.

Gordon, an ex-officio member of the Judicial and Bar Council, also said they want to create courts that will handle police cases.

"The police courts will handle all police cases involving murders and extrajudicial killings and also drugs, so you will be able to track down which judge [is] dismissing cases, which judge [is] tolerant of drugs, etc, and which fiscals are failing," he said.

Gordon also scored the PNP- Internal Affairs Service (IAS) for moving too slowly particularly in the case of the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

The National Bureau of Investigation has filed multiple criminal charges against Supt. Marvin Marcos and police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) members in Region 8 for the death of Espinosa.

• READ: NBI says Espinosa killing a rubout, conspiracy possible

Gordon said the IAS has been unenthusiastic in pursuing cases against their fellow policemen.

"That has been the problem: there is reticence, there is reluctance to file a case against ‘kabaro’ (comrade). We have to turn the culture around," he said.

Under the social contract theory, he added, a policeman is given "tremendous power over life and property" when he is handed his badge, gun, and uniform.

"But when you do something wrong against the very people you claim to protect and to serve, you are liable and [sic] we are not required to give him the kind of evidence required preponderance to remove him under administrative law. Tanggal siya," he said.