Senator Antonio Trillanes on Monday presented the affidavit of Vincent Tacorda, a former policeman who was allegedly ordered by his boss to kill drug suspects.

Trillanes presented Tacorda's statement during the resumption of alleged drug-related killings at the hands of cops, including that of teenagers Kian Delos Santos and Carl Angelo Arnaiz.

Tacorda had claimed that Senior Supt. Jesus Martirez, then Catanduanes police chief, instructed him and another subordinate in July 2016 to deliver an "accomplishment of 5 - 10 deaths of drug personalities."

"He (Martirez) later on admitted to us that he will be relieved from his post if there is no 'death of drug personalities' that will be delivered in his area," read Tacorda's affidavit.

Tacorda said Martirez later gave the go signal for him to act as "shooter" in an operation against a drug suspect being monitored by a senior intelligence operative in Barangay San Jose in Viga, Catanduanes.

Tacorda claimed he was given "P800 budget for my food and lodging, a picture of the target, and a folder with 'PUSHER AKO, HUWAG TULARAN... Bicol vigilante' handwritten in red pentel pen."

Wearing a helmet and jacket, Tacorda said he approached the target on board a motorcycle driven by a former policeman.

"I casually walked towards the target, using the folder to cover my firearm and fired the bullet at his back. I tried to fire again but my firearm got jammed. Hence, I just threw the folder on him and rushed back to the waiting motorcycle," Tacorda's statement continued.

He said he later learned that the target survived.

Tacorda, a police officer 1, filed his resignation letter last April.

Tacorda however has recanted his affidavit and withdrawn his resignation, said Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Dela Rosa also noted that Tacorda only went public with his allegations after he was charged with the murder of Larry Que, a newspaper publisher who had investigated a shabu laboratory in Cantanduanes.

Tacorda declined an invitation to attend Monday's hearing, said Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Lacson instructed the PNP to produce Tacorda in the next hearing, along with Martirez and other personalities he tagged.

DZMM , 2 October 2017