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MANILA, Philippines – Members of the House committee on dangerous drugs were left aghast by the testimony of Rolly Daligdig, a confessed hitman who worked for the police and the City Government of Dipolog.
Daligdig’s testimony before the House panel on Thursday, February 9, pointed to the gravity of the alleged involvement of some policemen in criminal activities.
Daligdig, now under the justice department’s Witness Protection Program, told the panel that he decided to expose the criminal activities of his police handlers and politicians in Zamboanga del Norte after his fellow hitman, Crisanto Gulang, and his live-in partner, Jeanette Acevedo, were killed on November 21, 2016.
The two were killed while under the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Daligdig, Gulang, and Acevedo worked with Dipolog City’s disbanded Team DAVID (Deployment Against Vices in Dipolog).
Daligdig alleged that Team DAVID was used by Zamboanga del Norte Governor Roberto Uy; his wife, former Dipolog mayor Evelyn Uy; their son, former Polanco town mayor Roberto Uy Jr; and police officials. They were allegedly tapped for illegal drug trade deals, and to kill Uy’s political enemies, drug trade rivals, and companions “who already know too much and talk too much.”
“I’m giving my testimony before Governor Uy has me killed, for the people and government to know that there is a big syndicate called Team DAVID…which is used to kill and do other illegal activities, including the strafing of the houses and office of lawyers working for the Uys’ political rivals and critical media,” said a teary-eyed Daligdig.
Daligdig added he had already killed at least 12 people himself.
Zamboanga del Norte First District Representative Seth Frederick Jalosjos asked about the status of the investigation into these killings. Zamboanga Police Senior Superintendent Edwin Wagan said he either did not know or that the cases were still under investigation as they could not get witnesses.
This prompted Negros Oriental Representative Arnulfo Teves Jr to accuse Wagan of incompetence.
“I’m disappointed with their answers because as police officials, they should know what’s happening,” Teves told Rappler in an interview after the hearing.
He stressed that if a policeman is accused of a crime and the investigators are also policemen, there will always be a problem.
Jalosjos also said that other congressmen were shocked, quoting them to have said, “Para namang sine ang nangyari (It’s like in the movies).”
Asked if they are saying that the PNP’s internal cleansing is impossible, both Jalosjos and Teves said it’s doable but “a long shot.”
“But we should not dwell on our sorry situation,” Teves continued, “we should move on and help the police clean their own ranks.”
Early in December last year, Daligdig and his brother Roger, drug pusher and Team DAVID member Ronald Realiza, and Police Office 2 Armando Viola filed complaints before the Ombudsman against the Uys and 20 other police officials and members of Team David for multiple-murder and other cases.
On January 8, Governor Uy was quoted by local newspaper Tingog Peninsula as saying, “Bakak ug tinumotumo ang mga pasangil aron lang ako ug mga miyembro sa akong pamilya madaut (The accusations were lies and inventions intended to malign me and my family).” – Rappler.com
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