11 cops sued for brutality, illegal arrest

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights-Region 6 has filed at the Office of the Ombudsman administrative and criminal charges against 11 policemen involved in the arrest of a female suspect in EastWest Bank robbery last January 3.

CHR-6 investigator Jonnie Dabuco however opted not to mention the names of the accused to also "protect their human rights," but said that three of them were charged for violating Republic Act 9745 (Anti-Torture Act of 2009) by allegedly harming physically the suspect, Isidra Ladesma, when she denied involvement in the robbery.

The eight other policemen, assigned to Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) and Mina Police Station, were charged with unlawful arrest for their failure to immediately release the suspect, even if no criminal charges were filed against her.

For administrative sanction, the 11 were also slapped with a charge of grave abuse of authority.

Dabuco said the CHR-6 investigation showed probable cause in filing the charges against the suspects. "We mainly used (Ladesma) testimony in filing the case – like how she was arrested, the basis for her arrest, and her allegations that she was subjected to physical pain," he said.

Ladesma was arrested at a checkpoint in Talibong Grande village of Mina town in Iloilo a day after the bank robbery. She was released only last January 7 after bank's security guard Lony Pablico refused to sign his affidavit confirming her involvement to the crime.

She said that she was put on public trial after Pablico positively identified her as the woman who asked for help in using the ATM that led to her alleged cohorts in staging the heist.

Ladesma, a resident of Badiangan, Iloilo, however insisted that she was in Cabatuan, Iloilo when the robbery occurred, and countered that she was subjected to police brutality when arrested.

Despite all the physical pain, the 40-year-old Ladesma earlier said that she was more concerned of the consequences the incident will bring to her family. She has been into business of trading infant bottles and accessories to small drug stores in Iloilo towns, and said the incident might affect her livelihood.

She said the matter also brought shame to her husband who is a jeepney driver. (FREEMAN)