10 cops in torture attend hearing

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – The 10 Laguna policemen tagged in the so-called “wheel of torture” scandal were summoned yesterday to the preliminary hearing of the administrative charges filed against them.

Senior Superintendent Faustino Manzanilla, Regional Investigation Division chief, said the 10 policemen, accompanied by their legal counsels, and the complainants attended the hearing.

Superintendent Edwin Wagan, deputy provincial director for administration and the hearing officer, said the filing of administrative charges was approved by Chief Superintendent Jesus Gatchalian after a probe body found probable cause against the policemen for torturing inmates at a police holding facility in Biñan City.

Wagan said the case would be resolved within one to two months.

Facing charges are Chief Inspector Arnold Formento, Laguna police intelligence chief, and nine of his men – SPO2 Bernardino Artisen, SPO1 Alexander Asis, PO2s Freddie Ramos, Mark Julius Caesar, Mateo Cailo, Renan Galang, Aldwin Tibuc and Melmar Viray; and PO1 Nelson Caribo.