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Friday, September 23, 2005
Editorials: Flawed system of death investigation
Dr. Raquel B. Rosario-Fortun, a forensic expert from the University of the Philippines in Quezon City, talked the other day at a forum in Cebu for news reporters and photographers.
Her lecture, one of the highlights of the celebration of Cebu Press Freedom Week, dealt mainly with the behavior of journalists at the crime scene.
Yet it could also serve very well as a crash course for the police in handling crime investigations.
Most striking in her observations of police practice is the "defective" system of investigating murders and homicides.
Rosario-Fortun noted the probes to be not science-based and hobbled by the policy of "no-aggressive-complainant-no-case" and the practice of relying mostly on witnesses.
Flaws of the investigation system are clearly demonstrated in police handling of the vigilante or vigilante-style killings in Cebu City (more than 80 murders as of the last count).
The police claim that their inability to solve the "salvaging" cases is due to lack of witnesses, as if it were the only means to solve the crimes.
Rosario-Fortun even deplored the police habit of picking up suspects on the basis of cartographic sketch made from description of witnesses.
On the serial murders in Cebu City, since the police are unable to get witnesses, there are no cartographic sketches and there are no suspects as well. Crime solution is zero for police investigators who do not or cannot use forensic evidence to solve the crimes.
Rosario-Fortun's commentary on the death investigation system should wipe out the excuse of the local police for not solving a single case of the more than 80 salvaging or salvaging-style murders in Cebu City.
A prosecutor’s threat
Asst. Regional State Prosecutor Vicente Mañalac has threatened to expose a "conspiracy" against him and other prosecutors linked to an attempt to acquit Ruben Ecleo Jr. of the death of his wife.
The Integrated Bar is looking into the complaint that they helped in the conviction of Cedrick Devinadera, who is believed to be a fall guy for Ecleo's acquittal.
What perks up interest in Mañalac's threat is his claim he can prove the alleged plot against the prosecutors by a compact disc.
Motive in investigating the prosecutors can hardly be relevant in a case that only requires evidence of obstructing justice.
Proving that motive by a "Hello Garci" type of tape is not helping any.
(September 23, 2005 issue)
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