POLICE Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido got himself into deeper trouble when he agreed to speak to the media about his inclusion in President Rodrigo Duterte’s illegal drugs watchlist despite a verbal gag order from the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
PNP Chief Archie Gamboa on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, said Espenido will be investigated and dealt with internally.
“Regarding Colonel Espenido, leave it to us. It’s purely an internal issue, I will deal with Espenido squarely as the chief PNP and he being a member of the PNP,” Gamboa said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.
The PNP chief also said they have targeted to submit to President Rodrigo Duterte on March 5, 2020, during their command conference, their recommendation on the 357 policemen, including Espenido, on the illegal drugs watchlist.
Social media protocolGamboa said he had issued a general statement to the 357 policemen, prohibiting them from speaking about the issue pending the results of the adjudication.
“Sabi ko nga we’re coming up with a social media protocol for PNP personnel because you have to resort to our own internal mechanism. So why Espenido? That’s why I will deal with him internally,” he said.
Asked whether Espenido may be charged with insubordination, Gamboa said, “Not yet.
That’s why he will be investigated.” Gamboa made the statement after Espenido held a press conference at the Bacolod City Police Office on Wednesday morning, where he discussed his inclusion in the drugs watchlist.
Media interactionOn Tuesday, he granted a radio interview in Cebu City, where he said that the government could kill him, raising speculation about the truth behind allegations of state- sponsored drug killings.
On Monday, he responded by text message to queries from the Manila media.
Gamboa declined to comment on Espenido’s claim that there was a failure of intelligence on the part of the PNP and that his inclusion in the list was a result of gossip.
Espenido had also slammed Gamboa for failing to verify the list.
Espenido has been commended for his role in neutralizing suspected narco-politicians Rolando Espinosa and Reynaldo Parojinog.
President Rodrigo Duterte, through his spokesman, has declared that Espenido was the victim of a black propaganda campaign and that he still has his trust and confidence.
Albuera link Espenido was the local police chief when Espinosa, a mayor of Albuera, Leyte, and Parojinog, a mayor of Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental, were gunned down by authorities in November 2016 and July 2017.
Espinosa was shot dead inside his detention cell in Baybay City, also in Leyte, in November 2016.
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) agents had claimed that Espinosa resisted when they served a search warrant for illegal firearms in his detention cell.
Parojinog was killed in simultaneous raids on his family’s properties in July 2017. His wife and 13 others were also killed while his son Reynaldo Jr. and daughter Nova Princess Parojinog were arrested and charged over illegal drugs. (SunStar Philippines)