'It wasn't me in torture video'

MANILA, Philippines - Embattled police Senior Inspector Joselito Binayug finally broke his silence yesterday by denying that he was the police officer seen in the video torturing a suspected robber in a police precinct in Manila.

Binayug made the denial before the Senate inquiry into the issue, in response to the question of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada asking if he was the police officer in the video.

“It is not me, Your Honor,” Binayug said.

Binayug told the Senate committee that he did not even know the person shown in the torture video.

“Who is the one? Are you still investigating it? Have you identified the real suspect?” Estrada asked Binayug.

Estrada reminded Binayug that he was under oath and a witness had identified him as the police officer in the video torturing a suspected robber.

Binayug then clammed up and invoked his right not to discuss the issue since a case was already filed against him in court.

The torture video that was leaked to the media showed a police officer cursing and whipping the suspect while pulling on a rope that was tied to the victim’s genitals.

The video was shown on several video sharing websites and became an Internet sensation.

The accusations immediately fell on Binayug and his men after it was determined that the torture was held at the Asuncion community police precinct in Tondo, Manila.

Binayug’s denial during the Senate hearing prompted Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla, the deputy chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), to remind the panel that Binayug was identified by the wife of the victim, Darius Evangelista.

Rongavilla said another witness also claimed Binayug was involved in the torture of Evangelista sometime in March.

“According to the witness, who is the wife, and the other witnesses that were produced, they identified the suspect to be police Senior Inspector Binayug,” Rongavilla said.

Estrada then turned to Binayug, who was still wearing his blue police uniform.

Binayug remained unfazed and seemingly unrepentant in the face of Estrada’s grilling.

“Witnesses are pointing to you as the main culprit or the main suspect of the torture. Why don’t you tell the committee here... and I am reminding you that you are under oath,” the senator said.

It was at this point that Binayug said he is not ready to answer the question since the case is already under the jurisdiction of the courts.

Rongavilla told the Senate committee that they already filed a case against Binayug for violation of the Anti-Torture Act of 2009.

At the same time, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) commissioner Coco Quisumbing urged the Senate to ratify the Optional Protocol for torture victims.

The protocol, which has the effect of a treaty, was transmitted to the Senate by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in April 2008. It remained pending for ratification before the Senate committee on foreign relations.

Among the salient features of the protocol are open access to detention cells, having an official registry of arrested and detained suspects as well as list of missing persons.

Quisumbing told the Senate that there are other persons from the same area who claimed being victims of torture.

Quisumbing also appealed to the Senate to help strengthen the CHR, which she said is “under resourced” with its service vehicles as old as the commission when it was created about 23 years ago, and low salary grades.