“The ball is now in the hands of PAOCC, particularly on the issue raised against the official named by Remulla”
A bombshell has been dropped at the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) by no less than the head of the Justice Department, Secretary Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla.
In a stunning revelation over his regular talk show aired over AM radio station, DZRH, Remulla revealed that a certain PAOCC official has been issuing release orders to questionable aliens under the custody of this agency.
Secretary Remulla made it clear this was not within the power or authority of the PAOCC official, nor of the agency as a whole.
The Office of the President, particularly the Executive Secretary, should look into this because the PAOCC is directly under its wing.
The issue is linked to the now-banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations, the undesirable characters once connected to this business, and the escape attempts of those among them facing criminal complaints.
It will serve public interest if Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin will probe this issue and summon the person Remulla referred to in his bombshell revelation. There are questions that need to be adequately answered.
First, on the basis of what authority did he allow the alleged persons to leave detention?
It appears the Justice Secretary made the revelation in a moment of exasperation and frustration. Prior to the revelation, Remulla was expressing his disappointment over the failure of law enforcement agencies to use digital forensics in their investigations resulting in the failed probe of human trafficking groups.
He revealed the practice of “granting bail” by certain PAOCC officials as contributing to the aggravation of this problem.
It is also highly unlikely that Remulla would make the revelation just to put PAOCC in bad light. If there is one government official who would defend the actions and agencies to death, that would be this particular Secretary.
It is also impossible for Secretary Remulla to have been mistaken regarding that revelation.
He is the legal expert of this Administration. When it comes to knowing whether or not the action or decision of a government functionary is within the powers of the agency he represents, we can trust Secretary Remulla.
So, the ball is now in the hands of PAOCC, particularly on the issue raised against the official named by Remulla.
We feel this PAOCC official is in a bind. Can he say that the Justice Secretary is wrong and that the PAOCC can actually release detained aliens on bail? If he does, he will have to assert and to prove that President Marcos, Jr. chose an ignorant lawyer for the Justice portfolio.
If the PAOCC official admits that he was wrong, then he may have to face the legal consequences of his action. He may also be inferring that he is less than capable of performing his job well.
He may also have to address speculations that there may have been some consideration for the issuance of a release order that is outside the power of the PAOCC.
Can he accuse Secretary Remulla of issuing a “politically motivated” accusation. We doubt if that would work. The public knows the politics of Remulla and his family, and that Remulla’s motivation is to protect the current President.
If the PAOCC official pushes that theory, then Secretary Remulla would be even more justified for making that revelation since that would be in the interest of the protection of this administration and the President.
We believe ES Bersamin would be interested in finding out if the temporary freedom given to the detained aliens enabled them to attempt—and even consummate—escape plans to avoid prosecution and to evade the proper deportation process.
He may even wish to address speculations that the PAOCC was actually in custody of some of these aliens prior to their attempt to use the southern Philippine backdoor to exit the country—which were later foiled by the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies.
He might also wish to ask the concerned PAOCC official why he would go out of his way to take the big risk of issuing a release order that would help these undesirable aliens attempt and execute an elaborate escape plan.
By doing so, ES Bersamin would actually be doing PAOCC and the very Office of the President a great service.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)