Slain bizman’s pa defends city cops

By Jennifer P. Rendon

(Updated to correct the name of Delfin Britanico)

The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has been called names over its alleged inefficiency in solving the January 19, 2020 twin murders of alleged drug personality Alain Muller and businessman Delfin Britanico.

But some individuals don’t share the same sentiments, especially the father of Britanico.

Former Barangay Association for National Advancement and Transparency (BANAT) party-list representative and former Iloilo assemblyman Salvador “Buddy” Britanico said the public should not blame the ICPO.

In a statement, Britanico, a lawyer by profession, said they have noted that some netizens are criticizing the ICPO, specifically its present director, Colonel Eric Dampal.

The criticism centered on the fact that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), not the ICPO, solved the murders of his son and Muller.

“In fairness to the ICPO, specifically to Colonel Dampal, no blame can be laid on him,” he said.

First, Salvador Britanico said that the incident happened before Dampal was appointed as Iloilo City police chief.

Dampal assumed his post on February 20, a month after the twin murders happened. He succeeded Police Colonel Martin Defensor Sr., who was promoted as the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) chief of staff.

“And second, President Rodrigo Duterte had already issued his directive on January 27, 2020, before Colonel Dampal assumed office as ICPO director, that the NBI would be the lead agency in the investigation. Therefore, operational protocol dictated that the ICPO should give way to the NBI and our family, and only assist in the investigation. Director Dampal, in fact, provided the NBI and our family certain information/records requested from the ICPO which were important in the investigations.”

“Visibly, Pres. Duterte’s instantaneous decision to designate the NBI to be the one to conduct the investigation after being apprised by us of the attending circumstances to the killing of Delfin showed that he instinctively sensed that uniformed personnel might have been involved,” he added.

Britanico said Dampal “directed the NBI to be the one to conduct the investigation” to ensure that the probe would be thorough and fair.

The grieving father said Duterte’s instinct proved correct, as it was later established in the NBI investigation that of the four suspects in the killing of Delfin, two have been positively identified as PNP corporals.

Britanico appealed to all civic-spirited Ilonggos who may have information or lead on the identities of the two other “conscienceless murderers to share their information with us.”

In a press conference last week, Dampal was asked why the NBI got leads on the suspects while the ICPO remained facing a blank wall.

Dampal said they assisted the NBI and provided assistance until the family opted for the NBI to take over the investigation.

He said they did everything they could to solve the murders.

Dampal added they will investigate other murders that happened in the past once they have evidences and witnesses.