Witnesses on extrajudicial killings face Senate probe
TWO witnesses appeared Monday at the Senate inquiry on the spate of extrajudicial killings and summary executions on Monday, August 22.
At the hearing, Harra Kazuo recounted how her live-in partner, Jaypee Bertes, and father-in-law, Renato Bertes, were beaten to death by some personnel of the Pasay City police station last July 7.
She said that on July 6, three police officers went to their house in Pasay City to look for Jaypee and ask about the alleged illegal drugs in his possession.
Kazuo admitted that her husband was a drug user and pusher while her father-in-law Renato was a user but had already surrendered to the barangay authorities.
After realizing that there was no illegal drugs inside their house, Kazuo said her partner and his father were later brought to the Pasay Police-Station Against Illegal Drugs (SAID).
Despite being in a police station and under custody, the two were killed by three gunshots each for allegedly trying to grab the gun of a police officer.
Another witness from Antipolo Rizal, Mary Rose Aquino, testified that her parents, Rodelio and Rosalie Campos, were victims of summary executions by policemen of Antipolo. The victims were killed last June 20.
According to Aquino, her father was used by police authorities as "asset."
Being an asset, the drugs seized by police during its operations are brought to the Aquino residence to be repacked and resold. The proceeds will be divided to the police officers and Rodelio.
"Pagkatapos po nila mag-raid at yung mga nakumpiska naman ay ibebenta po ng tatay ko. Inihahatid nila sa bahay namin at ang tatay ko na ang nagrerepack ng mga illegal drugs," Aquino revealed.
Based on the narration of Aquino, a policeman called her parents asking that the collected money from drugs be remitted immediately.
That day when her parents failed to come home, a text message was sent by her mother Rosalie, through her uncle, saying in case something bad happens to her and her husband, a certain police named Ong will be the one behind the killing.
Based on reports, Rodelio was killed in an encounter with the police while the wife’s dead body was found the next day.
Both victims, according to Mary Rose, are drug users.
“Pareho po silang drug users. Sa bahay po kasi naming nag pa-pot session kasama ng mga pulis at ito po ay inaamin ng mama ko sa akin.” Aquino said.
The probe is a joint inquiry of Senate committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs as well as Justice and Human Rights chaired by Senators Panfilo Lacson and Leila de Lima, respectively. (Sunnex)