Cop recants testimony on police-orchestrated EJKs

Police Officer I Vincent Tacorda who once said that cops are given directives by their superiors to kill individuals connected to illegal drugs has renounced his testimony. (Facebook photo)

MANILA, Philippines—A Catanduanes policeman who once said that cops are given directives by their superiors to kill individuals connected to illegal drugs has renounced his testimony.

“I have done some serious soul searching and I have come to realize that I love my organization and I continue to hold it and its ranks in the highest respect despite some sad experiences I went through, which changed my heart; [that] I had expounded in an affidavit of recantation on 29 June 2017,” Police Officer I Vincent Tacorda said in a letter read by Senator Panfilo Lacson, Chairman of the Senate public order committee that investigates the killing of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos committed by some members of Caloocan police.

Tacorda resigned from his post in April after allegedly receiving directives from his Chief of Police to kill individuals in ‘narco-list’ so Catanduanes policemen would not be relieved from their positions from failing to obtain ‘accomplishments’ in the administration’s war on drugs.

He said in his May 10 affidavit presented by Senator Antonio Trillanes that he was designated as “shooter” who was instructed to kill 5-10 drug personalities as “accomplishment.”

Tacorda added that he was given a budget of P800 for food and lodging, a photo of the target, and a folder with an inscription of “Pusher ako. H’wag tularan…Bicol vigilante” that was supposed to be left in the scene after the target has been killed.

On the day of the shoot-out, Tacorda shot the target in the back but failed to fire a fatal shot because his gun jammed. The target escaped and Tacorda threw the folder on the ground before fleeing the scene.

The Senate earlier asked Tacorda to attend hearings but the he refused. Lacson had ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to produce Tacorda in the next Senate hearing on October 10.

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa said that Tacorda offered his resignation after the expose surfaced but withdrew his resignation to keep his job.