8 Batangas cops charged for Aeta’s disappearance

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – A police official and seven of his men have been charged in connection with the disappearance of a member of an Aeta tribe in Calaca, Batangas.

The charges against Inspector Ernie delos Santos, deputy chief of police of Calaca town, and his men – Police Officers 3 Marciano Caag, Argel Joseph Noche and Jessie Tolentino, and PO1s Gerardo Visto, Rommel Caubalejo, Marvin Baldrias and Owen Dajoyag – were filed Monday with the office of the provincial prosecutor.

The charges stemmed from the respondents’ arrest of Dondie Marasigan, an Aeta faith healer, in Barangay Talisay last March 17.

Aside from the police officers, also charged was civilian Evelyn Noche.

Senior Superintendent Omega Jireh Fidel, Batangas police director, sacked Delos Santos and his men and placed them under restrictive custody.

Fidel ordered the provincial police office to conduct a pre-charge investigation against the respondents and create a special task force that would handle the case.

The charges were based on a complaint filed by Marasigan’s wife Keneth; Razel delos Santos, 15, and Mary Grace Magtibay, chief of an Aeta tribe.

Marasigan, Delos Santos and a relative were reportedly picked up by the Calaca police officers from their house in Barangay Talisay at around 9 p.m. on charges allegedly filed by their neighbors.

The police officers released the girl, but Marasigan was investigated at the police station.

“The officers denied they picked up Marasigan, that they did not arrest him,” a source told The STAR, adding Marasigan was in police custody when he disappeared.