Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Editorials: Law enforcers’ dilemma
CLARENCE Paul Oaminal, legal consultant of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7, was correct on the need for the Lapu-Lapu City police to set its priorities right.
In the killing of PDEA 7 agent Priscillano Gingoyon Jr., the first task of Acting Lapu-Lapu City Police Chief Louie Oppus is to identify the killers and prosecute them.
Whether Gingoyon was part of a drug syndicate or not, and was killed by a former courier of his group, could not alter the fact that he was slain and the killers must be punished.
Allegation
But this does not mean that the claims of the suspected perpetrator, Romulo Deo Soreño, about Gingoyon’s involvement in the drug trade should not be looked into.
PDEA 7 should even help the Lapu-Lapu police go to the bottom of the claim because doing otherwise might open the unit to accusation of coddling scalawags.
It would also be the best way to clear Gingoyon, that is, if PDEA 7 really believes in his integrity as an operative when he was alive.
Choice
The tricky part, of course, is in dealing with Soreño, both the prime suspect in Gingoyon’s killing and Oppus’ “vital asset” in crushing the city’s illegal drug trade.
Sooner or later, a choice must be made whether to serve the ends of justice sought for by Gingoyon’s family or to be lenient on Soreño for some “noble” ends.
Before that, however, Oppus and his investigators will still have to subject Soreño’s claims linking Gingoyon to the illegal drugs trade to further verification.
Motive
Soreño’s motivation—whether his confession was honest or was made just to save his hide—should also be ascertained, as this would determine his future acts.
Indeed, Soreño would have simplified the situation had he chosen to make the confession to the Lapu-Lapu police before he was nabbed for Gingoyon’s murder.
Will he be as cooperative if he is acquitted once the case reaches the court?
In the meantime, the more prudent thing to do is to allow Gingoyon’s family to grieve and to dig for more information before making conclusions on his character.
