NORPPO: Suspect's usual claim, cops plant evidences

CEBU, Philippines - The Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NORPPO) said it has been the usual alibi of suspects and criminal elements that evidences are planted against them when they are arrested for crimes they committed.

Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, director of NORPPO, said claims of fabrication and frame-up are a common defense that should be substantiated in court. He cited the arrest of Joel Ong Quiñones, alias Jake Ong, whose motorcycle’s utility box yielded illegal drugs and illegal drug paraphernalia.

Quiñones was initially arrested for violations of traffic laws, driving without license, no side mirror, using an improvised muffler, driving a motorcycle without and OR and CR, sporting a motor plate from another motorcycle, resisting arrest, counter flowing a one way street, four counts of falsification of documents, among others. He later countered that the drugs found in his motorcycle were planted by the police.

Biñas, also a lawyer by profession, said opening of the utility box of the subject motorcycle is incidental to a lawful arrest and it is up to the courts to determine if it is legal or illegal.

He said there was reason for the Highway Patrol Team to open the utility box on suspicion that something is inside because the suspect refuse to give the key to the motorcycle. It was proper to conduct an inventory on whatever is inside the motorcycle to prevent later claims that an “x” amount of money or other gadgets are inside the utility box and get lost while in their custody, said the police official. (FREEMAN)