|
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Suspects' kin fear filing raps vs cops
By Danilo V. Adorador III
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Families of the three captured suspects, who were allegedly behind the brutal robbery and murder cases in Cagayan de Oro, said they may not anymore file brutality charges against policemen.
A mobile phone video showed some plainclothes and uniformed policemen pounding on the three suspects -- Gabriel Pagalan, Michael Pelarion, and Renato Dahang.
Decision on Estrada's Plunder case
Join forum on Sandiganbayan's guilty verdict on Estrada plunder case. Post comments here.
Human rights advocates and Cagayan de Oro Mayor Constantino Jaraula roundly criticized the beating, which occurred inside a police office Wednesday, hours after Pagalan, Pelarion, and Dahang were nabbed in an entrapment operation led by the Anti-theft and Robbery Section (ATRS).
Acting City Police Director Antonio Montalba is also in hot water after saying that the beating was merely a minor matter compared to what the suspects did.
The three have admitted they were behind the two separate robberies and killings in a subdivision in Barangay Gusa recently, whose casualties include an active-duty policeman.
But families of Pagalan, Pelarion, and Dahang -- who all requested anonymity fearing reprisals -- said the admission may have been extracted under duress, as proven by the cuts, bruises and other visible injuries that the suspects sustained after they were beaten by several policemen.
The beatings were recorded in a cellphone videocamera by a local journalist who asked not to be identified. The video was repeatedly shown in an evening TV newscast Thursday.
Thelma Cardona, Pelarion's mother, said Superintendent Montalba had already assured that her son and the two other suspects will not be harmed.
Cardona said they may not pursue the cases against the still unnamed policemen for fear of their lives. "They might do something terrible to us," she said.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) meanwhile said it will conduct an investigation on the incident.
Mayor Jaraula said the incident tainted police accomplishment, adding that he was saddened by it. He expressed support for the prosecution of the police personnel involved.
Victorio Aleria Jr., Commission on Human Rights (CHR) investigator, said they will provide assistance to the suspects' relatives should they press charges against the policemen who took part in the beating.
Seeing the video, Aleria said, police appeared to have acted brutally against the suspects while they were already on detention.
Lawyer Rogelio Gapuz, an official of the Union of People's Lawyers-Mindanao, condemned the beating and said police brutality is inexcusable.
However, a source inside the Cagayan de Oro Police Office said beatings have become a normal routine for "in-denial" suspects at some police stations.
Although the beatings are "controlled," Pagalan, Pelarion, and Dahang received "above-normal blows" because they killed a policeman, the source added. He was referring to the killing of Police Officer Alvin Cobrado.
Cobrado was shot at the Fil-Estate Subdivision last month while reportedly having a date with a female companion. Jesus Carso, a pastor and a barangay councilman, was also shot dead in the same area.
Suspects Pagalan, Pelarion, and Dahang spared the lives of the women who were with the victims when the shootings occurred.
The three are also being held responsible for the robbery killing of a male nurse last month in Upper Carmen. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (October 20, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Lapu mayor closes Marina mall, demolishes Pelaez causeway