MANILA – Malacañang supports the potential reopening of the investigation on high-profile killings related to the war on drugs during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
According to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) plan for reinvestigation has the support of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“The reopening should indicate that the Marcos administration places the highest importance on the fair dispensation of justice and on the universal observance of the rule of law in the country,” said Bersamin.
The PNP said on Tuesday it would reopen the investigation into several cold cases of local officials killed at the height of the “war on drugs” during the previous administration.
Among the cases to be reopened are the killings of then-Tanauan City, Batangas mayor Antonio Halili’ Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa;, and Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog.
“Ang gagawin ng PNP dito is to really dig deeper sa kaso…kasi more than five, six years PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said.
“So the CIDG is now in the process (of) really retrieving, restudying, and assessing kung saan-saan ba humantong, anong naging direksyon,” she added.
There were around 14 local officials allegedly linked to illegal drugs killed during the administration of President Duterte from 2016 to 2021./PN
