5 lawmen face raps for hurting suspects

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman yesterday ordered the filing of charges against five policemen who allegedly inflicted injuries on people they had arrested for supposed offenses.

In separate resolutions, the anti-graft agency said cases of slight physical injuries should be lodged against PO1 Jeremias Geromo of the Carcar municipal police in Cebu, and PO3 Gerald Gaddi of the Western Police District in Manila.

Geromo is accused of hitting the head and mouth of one Mamerto Amorante who was detained on Nov. 7, 2005. The latter’s sister witnessed the incident.

A medical examination showed that the part of Amorante’s forehead that was allegedly hit was slightly swollen.

Gaddi, on the other hand, was accused of beating up a certain Gilbert de Jesus without any reason on Nov. 1, 2005 at Plaza Moriones in Tondo, Manila.

De Jesus complained that he was brought to a police precinct where he was again beaten up before he was taken to a hospital for medical check-up and was thereafter charged with resisting arrest.

In another case, the Ombudsman ordered the filing of charges of less serious physical injuries and arbitrary detention against SPO2 Danilo Yema of the Lipa City police in Batangas.

The complainant, Ronnie Vergara, alleged that he was cutting grass in his yard on Sept. 11, 2005 when Yema and another police officer arrived and forcibly took him to the police station.

While being dragged, Vergara alleged that Yema repeatedly hit his nape and kicked him occasionally until he was struck with a gun on his head and thigh.

He said Yema allegedly continued with his assault from the time he alighted from the car until he was taken inside the police station, as evidenced by the wounds he sustained on different parts of his body, including one behind his left ear that required stitches.

In another resolution, the Ombudsman ordered the filing of a case of serious physical injuries and arbitrary detention against Inspector Dante Yang and SPO1 Dionisio Lim, both of the Quezon City Police District, for allegedly arresting and beating up one Laureano Casado.

In his complaint, Casado recalled that on March 25, 2006, he was eating in a restaurant when the two policemen collared and forced him to ride their van where he was allegedly beaten up.

The two lawmen then brought him to Camp Karingal where he was detained until he was released in the afternoon of the following day with no charges filed against him.