Senate begins inquiry on extrajudicial killings
26-year old Harah Cazuo was emotional when she faced the hearing earlier.
She recalled the instances that led to the death of her partner JP Bertez as a result of a police operation last July 6.
Cazuo said, her partner was illegally arrested by the police in their house in Pasay City. Her partner’s father suffered the same fate.
She said, no warrant of arrest was presented by the police during the raid.
Her partner was mauled by the arresting officers and searched the house for evidence.
“One policeman thought I was hiding something in my baby. So, what he did was he stripped off my baby’s clothes and inspected her genitals,” Cazuo narrated before the senators.
“Have you filed complaint before the DSWD? What did they tell you?” asked Sen. Leila De Lima
“They said the police can do that,” Cazuo replied.
After her partner was taken to the nearest precint, he was mauled again and was shot by the police.
The investigation of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) says that there were clear human rights violations.
“The circumstances of the killing shows that there are really, aside from
arbitrary deprivation of life, there was torture,” Atty. Gilbert Boiser said.
According to P/SSupt. Nolasco Bethan, they will not tolerate the wrongdoings of policemen.
“I am telling that the case filed against the police was a heavy one, to show that we are not tolerating the wrongdoings of our policemen,” Bethan said.
Mary Rose Aquino was presented next.
She is the eldest child of Rodelio and Rosalie Campos who died after being involved in drug trade.
She said, her parents went to remit money to the police who also tasked them to sell drugs.
These drugs were taken from raids done by the policement themselves.
De Lima: Where do you get the drugs?
Mary Rose: From the police. Police from Antipolo.
De Lima: How did you know that they are police?
Mary Rose: They went to my house. They have with them the drugs and those were prepared by my father. They were wearing uniforms and I know where they are assigned.
Mary Rose recalled, her parents were supposed to remit money to the police after a supposed sale.
Then she received a text message from her parents, saying they would be killed by a policeman named “Ong.”
The witness said she could not turn to the police to ask for help.
De Lima: Why did you not turn to PNP for help?
Mary Rose: I am afraid to turn to Police Antipolo because they have my mama and papa, if I turn to them they might kill me.
These are just two of the 12 witnesses that are expected to be presented in the course of the hearings. Tomorrow, Senate will resume its inquiry and Philippine National Police will be given time to report to the hearing its side or take on the reported cases of extrajudicial killings. — Joyce Balancio / UNTV News & Rescue
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