Hontiveros on Duterte order reinstating cop in Espinosa slay:
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, APPROVAL OF EJKs

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday condemned the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to reinstate Superintendent Marvin Marcos, the police officer who led the team implicated in the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr in his Leyte jail cell last year.

The Senator called Duterte's order "a clear attempt to obstruct the course of justice" and "tacit approval of extrajudicial killings (EJK) in the country."

"This is outright obstruction of justice from the highest level of governance and Executive promotion of extrajudicial killings. For those who still deny that there are state-sanctioned killings, here is damning proof," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros reminded Duterte that the Senate, including his allies, unanimously recommended the filing of murder charges against the policemen, led by Marcos.

"The Senate and even the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) concluded that the death of Espinosa is a case of extrajudicial killing. How can President Duterte dismiss those findings? For the President to order the reinstatement of Marcos absolves him and his men of any wrongdoing," Hontiveros said.

The Senator also rued Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa's support for the reinstatement order. Dela Rosa said that "it would be a waste anyway" not to let Marcos work since he is getting paid.

"I expect better thinking from the PNP Chief. We let a murderer have a free pass and go back to the uniformed service because his suspension is a waste of money? Let me remind my mistah and old friend, the PNP Chief, that the real criminal waste of taxpayers' money are bad cops and injustices," Hontiveros said.

Prior to this, the Senator hit Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre and called him a "flip-flop king" for approving the downgrading of charges against the policemen accused in the Espinosa killing. Hontiveros filed a resolution together with other Senators asking the Senate to invite Aguirre to explain his department's decision to downgrade the charges of the accused.