Dulay tells Ombudsman probers: I assume full responsibility on Capitol incident
Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 Director
Chief Supt. Wilfredo Dulay Sr. seems to
scratch his head as he parries the
grilling made by the Ombudsman
investigating panel headed by Overall
Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro.
Dulay along with other police officers
were called in to shed light on the
controversial assault of the Capitol
last January 17, 2007. ECGarcia photo
Chief Supt. Wilfredo Dulay Sr., Regional Director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 assumed full responsibility on the controversial police assault of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol last January 17, 2007.
Dulay told the Ombudsman investigators led by Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro in last Friday's hearing that the police operation was necessary as they had received intelligence information that there were armed men inside the capitol building.
Dulay also said that their aim that time was to arrest Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. for sedition.
Dulay said Tupas committed sedition for preventing the duly constituted authority, referring to Vice Governor Roberto Armada who was then installed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as governor, from assuming the post of Governor.
Dulay along with other top officials of PRO 6 became resource persons in the second day of the Ombudsman investigation on the Capitol incident. DILG Regional Director Evelyn Trompeta was also present in the investigation.
Earlier, the Ombudsman investigating panel invited for questioning complainants from the camp of Governor Tupas.
Dulay also justified the use of heavily armed Regional Mobile Group personnel numbering to 65 as a way of ensuring that armed men protecting Tupas could be overpowered.
Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Cornelio Defensor, Regional Intelligence chief of PRO 6, testified that he has deployed intelligence officers inside and outside the Capitol building from January 14 to 17 who confirmed that there were presence of armed provincial guards and also of left organizations like the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Anakpawis, and Kilusang Mayo Uno.
Defensor said truckloads of Tupas supporters from Barotac Viejo also keep on coming to the Capitol starting January 14. Said supporters stayed at the Capitol from day till night.
Defensor added that people going in and out of the Capitol were also controlled as the Capitol gates were closed.
Casimiro said the Ombudsman investigation wanted to find out if the Philippine National Police and and the DILG committed lapses in implementing the dismissal order against Tupas and Board Members Domingo Oso and Cecilia Capadosa.
The Commission on Human Rights also conducted a separate investigation on the Capitol incident.
Last week the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs chaired by Senator Franklin Drilon and Senate Committee on Local Government headed by Senator Alfredo Lim which conducted a legislative inquiry on the Capitol incident censured Interior and Local Government Secretary Reynaldo Puno and Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar for "prematurely enforcing" the dismissal orders against Tupas and two other officials.
The said Senate committees also censured Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. "for his unwarranted interference" in the investigation of the graft case against Tupas.
It also recommended the transfer of Dulay out of Western Visayas.