AN ANTI-ILLEGAL drug unit chief has revealed ambush survivor Police Superintendent Michael John Deloso is on the drug list of President Rodrigo Duterte, though his name has been removed already from the list of police personnel with derogatory record in the regional level.
Chief Inspector Ian Datiles, chief of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao, said Deloso's name will likely remain on the PRRD list for continuous validation and monitoring.
"Naa siya sa PRRD list kana dili pwede itago kay open source mana. Katong pagkalista niya validated to kay toa man sa presidente nga listahan," Datiles said.
Datiles made the revelation after his men Police Officer 3 (PO3) Elmer Arabi Jr. and Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Ian Quitoriano filed their counter-affidavits at the City Prosecutors Office on Friday, February 1.
The two anti-drug operatives and "John Does" were facing frustrated murder charges in connection with the attempt on the life of Deloso last November 20.
Datiles said Deloso's name was deleted from the "Derogatory list" after the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his dismissal from service in connection with a robbery-extortion case. He was reinstated last April after the ombudsman reversed its decision.
"Ang process ana kung naa ka sa "Derog" list unya na dismiss ka amo kang tanggalon sa listahan sa ato pa clear naka bahala makabalik ka sa service or dili," Datiles said.
"Sa unit namo walay actionable kang Deloso sa ato pa limpyo si sir sa among unit. Wala namo gihilabtan si sir kay limpyo man siya sa among monitoring negative man siya sa drugs or unsa man. Pero magpabilin siya sa PRRD list kay under continuous monitoring mana," he added.
Datiles also vouched that Arabi and Quitoriano have nothing to do with the ambush because the two were sent to an anti-illegal drug operation at the time motorcycle-riding gunmen attacked Deloso along the Capitol road in Luna street, this city.
Arabi said the operation was jointly conducted with the anti-illegal drugs agency and witnessed by the media.
The accused policemen also brought their witnesses when they filed their answer to the complaint.
"Kuyog namo ang ubang ahensya sa gobyerno nga naa sa anti-illegal drugs uban ang media nga magpamatuod nga kana nga oras sa pag ambush kay sir Deloso nag conduct mi og operation,"Arabi said.
Arabi maintained that they were innocent even as he said that the suspects caught on the CCTV footage were far different from their physical description.
He also said he could not think of any reason why Deloso implicated him when they have not encountered personally.
"Siya ra gyud makasulti ngano gipasanginlan mi niya nga wala man pud mi personal grudges kay dlii man mi close though kaila ko sa iya kay official man siya," Arabi said.
Datiles also said they were clueless why Deloso involved the RDEU, even as he anticipates that he would likely be among the "John Does" of the case.
"Clueless at nagulat kami ngano tropa ko yung gipasanginlan ni sir. If one of these days magkita mi sa Alagar ako gyud siya duolon, "Datiles said.
"Being the chief of the unit mag-anticipate na lang sad ta nga maapil ko sa kaso kay ako mang responsibility ang unit," he added.