SCROLLING down: Why the group of probers might be preempted by the announcement that PO2 Canada was not killed in a police operation. It could be limited to finding that the killing was perpetrated by private vigilantes or rogue cops. And for, PNP officials, there is no evidence of guns for hire among police in active duty.
First, people are talking about...
... SUBSTITUTIONS that will be made on or before the November 29 deadline. In Cebu, the two most speculated-on switches that might be done are: the seventh district congressional race and the vice governorship contest.
... BARUG 'UNITY': Will it hold all the way to the elections? The role of former mayor Mike Rama in the campaign might set off the rift. "Intriga," says one stalwart of the minority group.
Preempted or limited probe?
A group of police investigators will try to find out if PO2 Lord Romyth Canada, shot dead in Minglanilla, Cebu last November 14, was killed "in relation to his job and illegal drugs." The suspicion is that he was killed because of illegal drugs and his alleged involvement in it. The question is who killed the cop: Vigilantes, composed of civilians and/or police?
Or members of drug syndicates?
Either way, it would unmask the group of killers who might have also pulled the other murders of law enforcers and drug suspects in Cebu in recent months.
By the way, probers will help Canada's family if their finding is that the murder was not a police operation. His surviving relatives reportedly will get the benefits due to the slain cop, according to Cebu City Police Chief Royina Garma. But Garma also reportedly said the death was not the result of a police op. It means that it was not sanctioned by PNP and if cops did it, they were rogue cops. In a way, that preempts and limits the inquiry.
Why Imelda charge wasn't plunder
Former First Lady and Representative Imelda Romualdez-Marcos was not charged with plunder: not in the first anti-graft complaint (convicted by Sandiganbayan, which the Supreme Court overturned) and not in the set of 10 counts of corruption (on seven of which she was convicted).
Republic Act #7080, as amended by Republic Act #7659, says that the amassing of wealth by a public official or family, friends or businesses cronies through a series of acts must have the aggregate amount of P50 million (originally set at P75 million).
In the 10-count charges, the amount stolen was US$200 million, which would total P10.52 billion under current exchange rate.
But the said plunder law was approved on July 12, 1991 and the crimes allegedly committed by Imelda were in the 1970s when she was minister of human settlements and governor. The charges were just filed from 1991 to 1995 but the law that should apply was that in force at the time the crimes were committed.
Erap snared by own law
Joseph "Erap" Estrada, who as senator was one of the authors of and signatories to the plunder law in 1991, was prosecuted for and convicted of plunder. An irony probably not recognized by Erap. The bill was signed into law by then president Corazon Aquino. The amendment to the law, which lowered the amount from P75 million to P50 million, was signed in 1993 by Fidel Ramos who succeeded Cory.
Erap however was pardoned by Gloria Arroyo, enabling him to run again for president but lost, then later for Manila mayor, a seat he wants to win again in the 2019 elections.
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