Sen. Pimentel urges the release of 11 punks from Benguet jail 06-04-02

	NORDIS WEEKLY April 2, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Sen. Pimentel urges the release of 11 punks from Benguet jail
*Punks file case vs. PNP* LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (Mar. 31) — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel urged law enforcement authorities to investigate the arrest and detention of 11 punks mistaken as members of the local New Peoples’ Army that raided a military camp in Cabiten, Mankayan. He urged authorities that if found to be fall guys, they (authorities) should rectify their errors by immediately releasing the 11. The 11 punks filed a case today (March 31) at the Benguet Provincial Prosecutors Office against six members of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Benguet for violating their rights when they were under custodial investigation. The punks’ affidavit-complaints charged the PNP officers for violating their rights as contained under RA 7438, Sec.2, which states that a person under custodial investigation should be informed of their rights and must be provided with competent and independent counsel. The PNP failed to observe these regulations; instead the punks were tortured and forced to admit the crimes PNP officers charged them. The 11 punks are still detained at the provincial jails based on the PNP-filed case of robbery with homicide and arson. The Motion to Quash, as filed by the punks’ lawyers, is currently being heard at Regional Trial Court Branch 62. Among the PNP officers who on February 14 allegedly arrested, detained and tortured the punks in violation of RA 7438 are: PSupt. Brent M. Madjaco; PSI Joseph Paulo Bayongasan; SPO1 Alyson Kalang-ad; P02 Jonathan Pucya; P02 Wendell B. Baglao’ and P02 James M. Ayan Jr. As Sen. Pimentel was convinced the 11 were tortured, he requested PNP Director General Arturo Lomibao to demand explanation from the provincial and regional PNP commands “on the incident and verify reports that the arrest was a mistake.” He further claimed that the torture and violations of their rights are not legally justified, and these show the PNP’s low regard on human rights. Pimentel, as informed by Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) Lawyer Manja Bayang, cited that the arresting officers tortured the punks. “They were punched and kicked on different parts of their body, including their genitals; gravely threatened to be killed; ordered to kneel on the hot ground; drowned in water; suffocated in plastic bags; thrown in deep dug-outs; made to stand nude at nighttime while cold water was poured on them,” Pimentel elaborated. Human rights lawyers represent the punks in both cases filed by the PNP against them, and the violation of RA 7438 they filed against their torturers. According to the CHRA, the 11 punks “hope that through this (case) and their other efforts of gaining justice from brutality they suffered under the PNP, it would serve as a lesson for the PNP and other erring public officers to uphold and respect people’s rights.” # Arthur L. Allad-iw for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
Home \| Back to top	Previous \| Next

	NORDIS WEEKLY April 2, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Sen. Pimentel urges the release of 11 punks from Benguet jail
*Punks file case vs. PNP* LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (Mar. 31) — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel urged law enforcement authorities to investigate the arrest and detention of 11 punks mistaken as members of the local New Peoples’ Army that raided a military camp in Cabiten, Mankayan. He urged authorities that if found to be fall guys, they (authorities) should rectify their errors by immediately releasing the 11. The 11 punks filed a case today (March 31) at the Benguet Provincial Prosecutors Office against six members of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Benguet for violating their rights when they were under custodial investigation. The punks’ affidavit-complaints charged the PNP officers for violating their rights as contained under RA 7438, Sec.2, which states that a person under custodial investigation should be informed of their rights and must be provided with competent and independent counsel. The PNP failed to observe these regulations; instead the punks were tortured and forced to admit the crimes PNP officers charged them. The 11 punks are still detained at the provincial jails based on the PNP-filed case of robbery with homicide and arson. The Motion to Quash, as filed by the punks’ lawyers, is currently being heard at Regional Trial Court Branch 62. Among the PNP officers who on February 14 allegedly arrested, detained and tortured the punks in violation of RA 7438 are: PSupt. Brent M. Madjaco; PSI Joseph Paulo Bayongasan; SPO1 Alyson Kalang-ad; P02 Jonathan Pucya; P02 Wendell B. Baglao’ and P02 James M. Ayan Jr. As Sen. Pimentel was convinced the 11 were tortured, he requested PNP Director General Arturo Lomibao to demand explanation from the provincial and regional PNP commands “on the incident and verify reports that the arrest was a mistake.” He further claimed that the torture and violations of their rights are not legally justified, and these show the PNP’s low regard on human rights. Pimentel, as informed by Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) Lawyer Manja Bayang, cited that the arresting officers tortured the punks. “They were punched and kicked on different parts of their body, including their genitals; gravely threatened to be killed; ordered to kneel on the hot ground; drowned in water; suffocated in plastic bags; thrown in deep dug-outs; made to stand nude at nighttime while cold water was poured on them,” Pimentel elaborated. Human rights lawyers represent the punks in both cases filed by the PNP against them, and the violation of RA 7438 they filed against their torturers. According to the CHRA, the 11 punks “hope that through this (case) and their other efforts of gaining justice from brutality they suffered under the PNP, it would serve as a lesson for the PNP and other erring public officers to uphold and respect people’s rights.” # Arthur L. Allad-iw for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
Home \| Back to top	Previous \| Next