Press Release
January 22, 2011

CHIZ DARES POLICE, DILG TO NAME EXECS CUDDLING KIDNAP GANGS

"Come out with names and file cases if you have the evidence."

This was the challenge of Senator Chiz Escudero to the police chief of Cotobato City and the Department of the Interior and Local Government after it was reported that they had arrested the suspects responsible for the spate of kidnappings in the area.

Police Senior Superintendent Willie Dangane said the other day the kidnap suspects had admitted in their sworn statements that their group was being run and protected by men in government. Dangane, however, declined to identify the officials.

Escudero, chairman of the Senate national defense and security committee, said such announcement was useless unless the police would take the appropriate action and intervention amid the unabated incidents of kidnapping in the city and nearby towns.

"They should name names and not simply pass the buck to a nameless and faceless category of people usually used as a 'whipping boy' even in movies. I challenge the PNP and the DILG to file cases against those that they have evidence against," Escudero said.

Last week, Escudero sought the relief of the Cotabato police and Army chiefs for their failure to stop kidnappings in the city. He also urged them to look into allegations that some of its personnel were involved in kidnapping activities.

"Now that they claim to have the names of these officials, the security force has to present it in full package. Unmask these hooligans who hide under the cloak of government and let the arms of the law reach them. There should be no sacred cow in this arena as everyone's security is at stake," Escudero said. "It's time to show that we indeed have a force there that these criminals have to reckon with."

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