Bacolod PNP director, 9 others face charges

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — Criminal and administrative complaints have been filed at the Ombudsman against the city’s police director and nine other policemen for allegedly torturing into admission three suspects in the rape and robbery of a German woman here last September.

The accused officials were Bacolod City Police Office director, Sr. Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, and Chief Insp. Ernor Melgarejo, former CIDG-Bacolod head, SPO1 Rosendo Bersal and PO2 Edney Matillano, who were relieved from their posts in October.

Also charged, members of the task force formed to resolve the rape case, were Supts. Lazaro Sumague of the Negros Occidental Police crime laboratory and Alexander Ermeo of the Intelligence Branch, Insps. Jovy Cabcaban of the Women and Children’s Complaints Desk, Homer Vargas of the Investigation Branch and Jose Mulleta, chief of Station 3, and Chief Insp. Edyll Feirrera.

The Ombudsman has given the respondents 10 days to reply the charges, while the city government had created a legal team, led by City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan to assist the accused policemen.

Suspects Joemar Agdana, 18, Henry Bañez, 21 and Crisinciano Catague, 23—all from Brgy. Banago—had initially admitted to the media that they raped and robbed the German national in her temporary residence in Banago.

They however recanted from their statements a day after, claiming that the CIDG policemen tortured and forced them to admit the crime, accusations that prompted the investigation conducted by the national CIDG .

The families of the suspects then sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights, which in turn assisted them in filing the charges. (FREEMAN)