Pubdate: Fri, 01 Jul 2005
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2005
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Edith Regalado
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Rodrigo+Duterte
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Davao+Death+Squad
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Summary+Execution

OMBUDSMAN SUSPENDS 4 COPS OVER DAVAO CITY SLAYS

DAVAO CITY - The Office of the Ombudsman for Mindanao has ordered the
six-month suspension of a former police chief and three precinct
commanders here for alleged negligence, inefficiency and incompetence
in connection with the unsolved summary executions in this city from
1998 to last year.

Most of the victims of the killings, blamed on a vigilante group
called the Davao Death Squad, were suspected drug pushers and other
criminals.

The extra-judicial killings, however, were largely unsolved due to the
absence of witnesses.

Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Antonio Valenzuela ordered the Southern
Mindanao police command to immediately suspend Senior Superintendent
Conrado Laza, former Davao City police chief, and Chief Inspectors
Matthew Baccay and Vicente Danao and Inspector Filmor Escobal, heads
of the San Pedro, Talomo and Sta. Ana police precincts.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, however, said he takes full responsibility for
what is happening in the city, including the spate of extra-judicial
killings.

"If they want to know something about those killings, they should ask
me. I take full responsibility for the situation in my city," he said.

"Besides, there is something wrong with that order of the Ombudsman.
How could you fault those officers when they were not even in their
respective posts since the date they said the investigation was
conducted? These officers were not even in their stations yet," he
added.

Laza, who was appointed city police chief in June 2000, was replaced
the other month.

Duterte said he will extend legal assistance to the four police
officers.

The Ombudsman's order was based on the findings of a special task
force which investigated the summary killings here.

At least 247 people were found to have been summarily killed from Aug.
1, 1998 to June 30 last year.

Of the cases, 67 fell under the jurisdiction of the Sta. Ana police
precinct, and 52 and 51 under the San Pedro and Talomo police
stations, respectively.

The Ombudsman faulted the four police officers for failing to respond
to the killings. 
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