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Acierto accuses Duterte gov’t of abducting colleague

Rambo Talabong

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Acierto accuses Duterte gov’t of abducting colleague
In a new clandestine video, Eduardo Acierto accuses the government of abducting his former anti-drug operations colleague retired police major Lito Pirote

MANILA, Philippines – In a new video released to reporters, dismissed veteran anti-drug cop Eduardo Acierto accused the Duterte government of abducting his former anti-drug operations colleague in the Philippine National Police (PNP), retired major Lito Pirote.

Itong mensaehing ito ay tugon sa lahat ng akusasyon laban sa akin at panggigipit nila sa mga taong nakapaligid sa akin, isa na rito si retired major Lito Pirote, na dinukot nila sa Bacolod noong Biyernes Santo,” said Acierto in a video released on Monday, May 6. (This message is a response to their accusations and their harassment against people near me, one of them is retired major Lito Pirot whom they abducted in Bacolod on Holy Friday.)

With a white wall behind him, Acierto spoke to the camera with his hair pushed back, almost grazing his nape, dressed in a grey shirt and a denim jacket with a pin of the Philippine flag clipped to his left chest.

The dismissed police colonel Acierto was referring to his former colleague Pirote, who was abducted by still unidentified men  on Good Friday, April 19. Police have not yet determined any suspects in the kidnapping. Neither have cops established a motive for the crime.

Pirote and Acierto have worked together in drug operations for a long time. They spent years working under the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, then in the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group which was later re-established as the Drug Enforcement Group.

Pirote contributed to the intelligence report which flagged former presidential adviser Michael Yang of holding possible drug links. In an earlier press briefing, Acierto claimed the intelligence report was neglected by the Duterte administration’s top police officials.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director General Aaron Aquino earlier told Rappler that he delivered the report to Malacañang, but the Palace cleared Yang in its own investigation. (READ: Ex-cop Acierto speaks out: Duterte, PNP ignored intel on Michael Yang’s drug links)

‘Di ko maintindhhan bakit kailangan nilang gawin ‘yun. Dahil ba kasama ko si Lito sa paggawa ng report tungkol kay Michael Yang at Allan Lim? Gusto nila kaming patahimikin (I don’t understand why they have to do this. Is it because I was with Lito in doing the report about Michael Yang and Allan Lim?),” Acierto said.

Acierto said Pirote was a well-performing anti-drug cop who has done nothing wrong. The government sees otherwise.

Like Acierto, Pirote was named in President Duterte’s drug matrix which accused cops of involvement in illegal drugs. Pirote has also been accused of having a hand in the shipment of shabu-packed giant magnetic lifters to the Philippines.

In its complaint before the Department of Justice, the PDEA said Pirote received P300,000 from Acierto and handed it to former Customs Intelligence Officer Jimmy Guban, who has turned himself in as a state witness. – Rappler.com

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Rambo Talabong

Rambo Talabong covers the House of Representatives and local governments for Rappler. Prior to this, he covered security and crime. He was named Jaime V. Ongpin Fellow in 2019 for his reporting on President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. In 2021, he was selected as a journalism fellow by the Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics.