MANILA -- Police colonel Jovie Espenido on Wednesday admitted that human rights violations were committed during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Espenido initially declined to make a categorical statement, but was prodded to give a direct answer by House Committee on Human Rights chair Rep. Bienvenido Abante, during the hearing into cases of extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration’s drug war.  

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Espenido said he is now assigned to the Police Regional Office VIII.

"Do you think that there are really human rights violations in the past administration or not?" Abante asked.

"For me, very appreciated naman ang committee because napapakita natin sa lahat na may batas," Espenido said, adding: "I am a law enforcer, sir. I am not really (in a position) na magdesisyon ako (kung) meron o wala, sir."

But Abante continued, saying: "I am not asking you to make a decision. I am asking you kung naniniwala ka kung may human rights violations dito. Sagutin mo ako Colonel."

"There must be," Espenido answered.

"Sagutin mo na ako ngayon. Naniniwala ka ba na mayroong human rights violations nangyari in the past administration?" Abante asked again.

"Meron, sir," Espenido said, without being asked to elaborate further.

Meanwhile, Abante also vowed to block the promotion of police major Emil Garcia, former commander of PCP 4 under Quezon City’s Batasan Station 6 as Garcia insisted there was no human rights violation in the case of Tokhang survivor Efren Morillo.

Morillo played dead during a police operation in 2016, and had since been acquitted of charges of direct assault filed against him by the police and had filed charges against the law enforcers.

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Abante asked, "Naniniwala ka ba na may human rights violation kay Efren Murillo? Hindi ko pinag uusapan yung ibang napatay."

"No, sir. No, your honor," Garcia replied.

"Papanindigan mo yung no?" Abante asked.

"Opo your Honor," Garcia said.

Abante responded: "Hindi ko alam kung bakit you can take an oath and you can lie."

Garcia initially said that there was no report of the Morillo incident, but later said he was wrong, as there was a spot report that was submitted to the committee.

"Submit to us the report of the incident or if you cannot, I will ask the committee members to hold you in contempt," Abante told Garcia.  "Submit to us the report, pwede mong gawin yan o hindi?"

Garcia replied: "Your honor, Wala po akong report. Sinabi ko po kay Sir Patay (then Batasan station commander Col. Lito Patay) yan, properly informed na mangyayari yan. Pero wala pong report na nagawa…. Pagdating ko po sa area noong nakita ko po ang pangyayari, tumawag po ako kay Sir Patay agad."

"Your Honor, wala po akong naisubmit, personally informed lang po kay Sir Patay. Hindi po ako nakapag-submit ng after incident report," he added.

Garcia got a further dressing down from Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, a retired PNP official himself, for not knowing that all anti drug operations of the PNP should entail coordination with the PDEA as required by Republic Act 9165.

Abante threatened Garcia of citing him in contempt in the absence of the report on the incident. 

"We will stay on making a motion to hold him in contempt and arrest him for him to stay in Congress until such time that you submit that to me. Number 2, I would like you to give us a letter on what you are going to do with your policeman who is ignorant of your procedures," Abante said, addressing the PNP.

"Hindi ako nagbibiro dito. I am gonna find out, if ever you get promoted, I am going to stop it."

A spot report on the incident was submitted to the committee before the hearing ended Wednesday night.

"Your honor, nagkamali ako. Akala ko po after-activity report," Garcia said.

Garcia also initially said that his then superior Batasan station commander, Col. Lito Patay,  had given PCP commanders under his area the instruction to subject 50 households per day to Tokhang operations. Acop pointed out this was an admission that PNP higher ups had set a "quota" for anti illegal drugs operations. 

Garcia later on clarified his statement that this was in compliance to a program to make barangays drug free.  

At the start of Wednesday's hearing, Abante warned police officers against taking photos of relatives of drug war victims attending the probe. He also assured the family members of their safety as they testified before the committee. 

The Committee is set to issue show cause orders to personalities invited but have not showed up, including former Philippine National Police officer in charge Vicente Danao, former NBI director Medardo Delemos, former Solicitor General Jose Calida, and police Colonel Lito Patay, formerly chief of the Quezon City Batasan station.

Outside the House, Bayan Muna and Gabriela joined relatives of drug war victims from the group Rise Up For Life and for Rights challenged former President Duterte and Senator Ronald dela Rosa to face them in the House hearing.

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