CHR to probe Buhi slay

By Mar S. Arguelles

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said it already sent investigators to assist the bereaved family of Froilan Oaferina III on what legal action to take against police operatives who were involved in the death of gthe barangay councilor during the course of a search warrant operation.

Lawyer Aileene Alangco, CHR Bicol regional director, said the family and CHR investigators during the initial talks have agreed that the statements and testimonies from family members and other witnesses would be submitted to the human rights agency after the victims’ burial.

Alangco said Oaferina’s son Nico requested that the investigation be done after the burial of his father.

Alangco in a phone interview said pending the testimonies from the family and witnesses, the agency would conduct separate and independent investigation whether the police operation was above board or there were breaches in police operational procedures.

Asked what assistance would be given to the family, Alangco said the agency would help in the case build-up, extending legal remedies by assisting them to file criminal and administrative cases to the proper government agencies like the Napolcom, Internal Affairs Service, Office of the Ombudsman for the military, and the prosecutor’s office.

She said “we definitely have to check whether the police that serve the search warrant have indeed followed police operation procedures, or there were breaches committed during the process.”

One aspect to be validated was that the 30 policemen that served the search warrant were reportedly not from the local police unit as those police operatives were Tagalog speaking enforcers, “so we have to check on this matter,” Alangco said.

Another vital issue to look into was the use of excessive force during the operation. One case in point is the “nanlaban” so we have to check the regularity in the performance of their duty, once there are breaches, this would be grounds for the filing of criminal and administrative cases against these police operatives.