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DOJ Dismisses
Appeal of Policemen
It seems that the government is showing resolve
to punish extra legal killings and that it won’t
coddle criminals in its midst. |
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click to see letter of Mrs. Lolita S. Ibabao
mother of victim Reagan Ibabao. |
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This was made
apparent when Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales denied the
appeal of two policemen and a barangay police official
who were charged for the murder of Reagan Ibabao, a
minor, while in detention inside a precinct in Alabang,
Muntinlupa City. The three accused were SPO1 Mario Obog
Jr, PO2 Alexon Orpia, and B/P Joel Molila, all assigned
at PCP-2 Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
The accused law enforcers filed a Petition before the
Department of Justice last April 28 seeking the DOJ to
review the Resolution that found probable cause to
indict them with the crime of murder. The said Petition
further prayed that the previous resolution denying
their motion for reconsideration be “reversed and set
aside” and that the murder charge against them be
dismissed. The DOJ denied the Petition of the accused
law enforcers.
It can be recalled that on October 4, 2006 Reagan Ibabao,
then only 17 years old, was killed while in detention at
the Police Community Precinct 2 in Alabang. Based on the
autopsy report, he died of asphyxia by hanging and there
were physical injuries which indicate that he was
maltreated during his detention.
It was the Task Force 211 or Task Force Against
Political Violence that pushed for the filing of this
case before the Regional Trial Court of Muntinlupa.
Task Force 211 was created on November 26, 2007 under
Administrative Order No. 211. It mobilizes various
government agencies, political groups, sectoral
organizations, religious and civil society, and the
general public to pursue its goals of prevention,
investigation, prosecution and punishment of extra legal
killings and political violence cases.
Task Force 211 Chairman Ricardo R. Blancaflor mentioned
that Mrs. Lolita Ibabao, the victim’s mother and
complainant in the said case, wrote to him a letter
expressing gratitude for giving due attention to her
son’s case. “At first she could not believe that
government will help her. She was relieved to know that
the government listens and that even the poor and the
powerless can put their faith in the law”, Blancaflor
said.
Task Force 211 is also monitoring more than 200 other
cases of extra legal killings, 34 of which are already
making significant progress.
Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 207 is handling
the murder case of SPO1 Obog, PO2 Orpia, and B/P Molila. |
