Admin, criminal raps await 10 Laguna cops over ‘wheel of torture’

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — Ten dismissed policemen implicated in the alleged torture of detainees in a jail outside the police station in Biñan, Laguna will face administrative and criminal charges.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Jesus Gatchalian has approved the filing of administrative charges against Chief Inspector Arnold Formento, Laguna police intelligence chief, and nine of his men – Senior Police Officer 2 Bernardino Artisen, Senior Police Officer 1 Alexander Asis, Police Officers 2 Freddie Ramos, Mark Julius Caesar, Mateo Cailo, Renan Galang, Aldwin Tibuc and Melmar Viray; and Police  Officer 1 Nelson Caribo. 

Jacqueline Ann de Guia, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Calabarzon officer-in charge, told The STAR the 10 policemen will  be facing criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 9745, the Anti-Torture Law; and robbery, extortion and illegal detention.

“Although the probers’ team has completed all the documents, we’re still in the evaluation process,” she said.

De Guia said the policemen were summoned last week and they had complied with instructions to submit their counter affidavits.

“We’re also studying, evaluating and checking for possible other charges, particularly for non-submission of authorization for the creation of one satellite branch in Biñan,” she said. 

De Guia said policemen reportedly tried to extort from the detainees in exchange for a lesser offense.

One of the detainees accused the policemen in an affidavit of demanding P1 million in exchange for his liberty, but that the amount was reduced to P50,000, she added. 

De Guia said the detainees were usually tortured when the policemen were under the influence of liquor.

Medical tests showed that three of the 15 detainees had sustained contusions and hematoma on different parts of their bodies, she added.

Gatchalian has designated Superintendent Edwin Wagan, a former chief of police and deputy provincial director for operations, as hearing officer in the administrative proceedings against the 10 policemen upon the recommendation of the Discipline, Law and Order Section of the Calabarzon police   Personnel Division.

The pre-charge investigation body found probable cause against the 10 policemen, he added. 

The case of command responsibility against Laguna police director Senior Superintendent Pascual Muñoz Jr. and his intelligence chief, Superintendent John Kirby Kraft has been sent to the Calabarzon Internal Affairs Service (IAS).

Senior Superintendent Wilben Mayor, spokesman for Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima, said the Calabarzon IAS was tapped to look into the case against Muñoz and Kraft to avoid any insinuation of a whitewash or cover-up.

Muñoz and Kraft were held liable for failure to monitor the activities of the 10 policemen.

Speaking to reporters, Purisima said he has ordered a speedy investigation of the alleged “wheel of torture” in Biñan to ensure proper action against the policemen involved.

“Right now we are fast-tracking the movement of detainees from PNP custody to jail,” he said. “They still need orders from the appropriate courts.” 

Purisima said he wants to ensure that no more “wheel of torture” or similar facility exists in any police unit.

He has ordered a through inspection of all police jails nationwide, he added.

Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP public information chief, said inspection and audit teams from the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management and the Human Rights Affairs Office were sent to account for all jails in regional, provincial, city/municipal police units to check on the condition of detainees.            – With Cecille Suerte Felipe