By Mar Gabriel
Eagle News Service
The Philippine National Police on Monday said that its officials who were given the power to subpoena will not abuse such.
“I swear before God and the people, and media that I will never, never abuse this power,” PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa said in response to concerns from human rights groups and some lawmakers.
Apart from the PNP Chief, the director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the CIDG deputy director for administration were granted the power to issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum by President Rodrigo Duterte himself, who signed Republic Act No. 10973.
The CIDG is headed by Director Roel Obusan while the deputy director for administration is Edmund Gonzales
According to Dela Rosa, he will not use the power and will delegate the same to the CIDG chief unless completely necessary.
“On my part, bakit gagamitin ko pa ‘yang power na ‘yan kung functioning ang CIDG? Sinabi naman sa batas na just in case wala ang CIDG director at deputy director, so sino ang pwede mag-issue kung hindi ako. Pero kung nandyan sila at functioning sila, bakit pa ako mag-imbestigador, imbestigador,” he said.
Chain of command
He said even if it was not required by the law, he should be informed though if his PNP subordinates decide to use the power.
In the PNP, after all, he said,”we always follow the chain of command.”
“So it is incumbent upon the issuing authority na magpaalam sa chief PNP, but then again it is not required by the law. Administratively, they have to do that but legally, they don’t,” Dela Rosa said.
Obusan, for his part, said subpoenas would only be issued in high-profile and sensational cases that require speedy resolutions.
“Example diyan yung kagaya nung meron tayong kidnapping cases na minomonitor, gusto natin na mapin down talaga itong kidnapper na nakita natin sa CCTV ng mga high-end na subdivision na pasok labas doon ang sasakyan ng suspect… pero according sa legal (ng homeowners) nila hindi basta basta ilabas kung walang court order…we can subpoena them to produce the recording of their CCTV,” Obusan said.
He also noted that the law that gave them the power to subpoena was not “anti-poor,” noting that high-profile cases were committed mostly by “wealthy or well-learned individuals.”
Dela Rosa said the PNP will uphold safeguards and measures to ensure transparency and accountability in all police operations, assuring that any attempt to abuse or misuse such power will be “subsequently dealt with accordingly.”