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Thursday, January 29, 2004
Shame parade called off; moms file raps
By Lizanilla Amarga
THE regional office of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 10 revealed there are now parents who've filed charges against Mayor Vicente Emano and Acting City Police Director Chief Insp. Antonio Montalba for having allegedly forced their sons into a shame parade held the previous Friday.
Their sons accused of some petty crimes were made to parade around the city streets wearing orange t-shirts, slippers and cardboard pieces bearing their names, age and the crimes they are suspected to have committed.
The mayor and Antonio Montalba cancelled their scheduled parade of suspects Sunday.
Also, former mayor now senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. recently castigated police authorities in Cagayan de Oro City for violating the rights of suspected crime offenders.
Meanwhile CHR-10 OIC regional director lawyer Robert Lou Elango told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro yesterday there were two mothers who already filed charges against Emano and Montalba in their office.
"We are now checking into their complaints to that of our independent investigation," he said.
Elango said he cannot give out the details of the complaints filed by the mothers as this is now in the hands of the investigating officer.
Affidavits
He said he would also welcome another separate complaint to be filed by lawyer James Judith, the legal counsel of the ten suspects.
"We will consolidate them together," he said adding that their office would still welcome any other separate complainants.
Misamis Oriental Gov. Antonio Caingin said he is set to file a separate case against his mentor Emano who has now turned political enemy along with Montalba.
In several text messages to this paper, Judith said they already have now gathered several affidavits that will boost their chances in nailing the mayor and the OIC city police director down.
Emano and Montalba yesterday backed down from holding another shame parade as they have earlier announced even in an interview with a national television station.
Judith said it was an indication that Emano and Montalba are now worried over the legal charges that are now being prepared against him.
He said if the mayor and the city police director pushed through with the second shame parade it would have been another count against him.
"Then it will be double charges against them," he said.
Overstepped
Montalba, however, defended Emano's decision to hold the shame parade saying it was not to humiliate the ten suspects but to have the public identify them.
He said over dxCC Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) that all 10 suspects are now facing charges in court.
"And there are no (three) minors of the ten as we cannot still ascertain them as below 18 years old as they don't have any birth certificate," he said.
But still Pimentel for his part lashed out at the police authorities in Cagayan de Oro City saying they overstepped their authority when they paraded 10 arrested suspects before the public.
He said the policemen, paraded the apprehended suspects and subjected them to public humiliation in an effort to put across the message that crime does not pay.
The senator said their high-handed method is violative of police procedures and the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence that the suspects are entitled to.
"Such cruel act on the part of our law enforcers is reminiscent of the excesses of tyrannical regimes and has no place in a civilized society," he said.
Pimentel said he would not hesitate to initiate legal action against the abusive policemen if any of the suspects or their relatives will formally complain about the incident, together with affidavit.
He said it is patently wrong for law enforcement authorities to use foul and illegal means in dealing with offenders because that would not help prevent or solve crimes.
He said the policemen should stick to the civilized rules of conduct in handling crime suspects.
(January 26, 2004 issue)
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