Pubdate: Sun, 27 Feb 2005
Source: Daily Tribune, The (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 The Tribune Publishing Co., Inc.
Contact:  http://www.tribune.net.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2973
Author: Gerry Baldo
Cited: Philippine National Police http://www.pnp.gov.ph
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

PNP OFFICIAL CONFIRMS PRACTICE OF EVIDENCE PLANTING

A ranking official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday
virtually admitted the practice of evidence planting and the tawaran system
(bribe bargaining) by members of the police force.

PNP Deputy Director General Ricardo de Leon, during the weekly Kapihan sa
Sulo in Quezon City, confirmed that evidence planting and the tawaran
system are being practiced in the police organization as he cited the need
for the PNP to cleanse its ranks in order to earn the respect of Filipinos
and succeed in its campaign against criminality.

Evidence planting has apparently long been an unspoken yet nagging issue
afflicting the police organization.

Last month's police raid on the Islamic Information Center on Taft Avenue
in Manila that yielded a considerable cache of firearms and explosives
provoked public opinion when two witnesses claimed having seen raiding
policemen plant the claimed recovered evidence.

The Moslem community protested what it claimed as the continuing unjust and
unwarranted persecution, discrimination and exploitation of Moslems in the
country.

Assalam Bangasamoro People's Party national president Penny Disimban
claimed, "The planted evidence was taken from a plastic bag brought by the
police raiding team."

This was corroborated by Usuf Ledesma, Balik Islam Unity Congress
spokesman, who claimed that most of those present at the Islamic center
were just guests or passersby who dropped by to pray.

Most of those arrested, however, were later released for lack of evidence
with police having five suspects in custody all have been freed recently.

The PNP for its part, denied the allegations and even presented the
suspects to the media to belie reports they were tortured.

A similar event which occurred two days ago in Taguig, where 15 kilos of
explosive materials and two kilos of TNT were seized, puts into question
the legitimacy of the find as the raiding team failed to make arrests.

A manhunt for Joseph Diala, alleged owner of the compound, where the
explosives where seized was launched, despite the fact that authorities
have yet to determine Diala's affiliation.

There were reports that the explosives were to be used to terrorize the
festivities during the 19th anniversary of the Edsa Revolution.

De Leon, focusing on the government's anti-drug campaign pointed out there
are numerous reported cases of evidence planting and tawaran in the
anti-drug arm of the PNP which should be eradicated. The tawaran system, he
said, happens when police detain a (drug) suspect for a certain period of time.

"The problem with the police is the issue of planting (evidence)," De Leon
said, adding that the police hierarchy could not substantiate the reports
as the victims are afraid to come out in the open for fear of reprisal.

De Leon recommended the lessening of police participation in the campaign
against drugs, saying this way, the "tawaran system" could be stopped,
citing Makati City's anti-drug council which practically handles all drug
cases within the city.

In the Makati model, there are only nine policemen, two lawyers and 80
civilian employees who handle all the drug cases in the city.

Removing much of the anti-drug work from the police solves the problem of
tawaran, De Leon said, adding that arrested suspects are turned over to the
anti-drug council, headed by the city vice mayor, within an hour of the arrest.

"The community will support the police on the condition they are
respectable," he said.

He added the police should also be strong enough to resist temptation from
drug syndicates.
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