Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. clarified on Wednesday that the statements of PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde on the age of former First Lady Imelda Marcos should not be misinterpreted as hesitation to arrest the former First Lady.
Durana insisted that what Albayalde meant was that the age of Marcos is a factor in determining whether she is a ‘flight risk.’
“I think we’ve taken the statement of the Chief PNP out of context,” he said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Durana explained that when Albayalde said that the PNP will consider the age and the health of Mrs. Marcos, it was said “in the manner we assess her flight risk or we assess the manner we will prepare and execute the arrest, not factors that will hinder us from arresting her the moment we received the warrant of arrest.”
In a briefing on Monday, Albayalde said the police will consider the advanced age of the Marcos, who is 89, if ever she is arrested.
READ: Albayalde on Marcos’ arrest: We have to take into consideration her age
“Hindi naman natin sasabihin na matanda, baka magalit sa atin, pero may edad na kasi, unang-una we have to take into consideration the edad (We are not saying she is old, she may get mad. But we have to take into consideration her age),” he said.
“In any arrest or anybody for that matter, that has to be taken into consideration —the health, the age,” he added.
Marcos was convicted by the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division last Friday for seven counts of graft, for transferring funds to Swiss foundations while holding key government posts while her husband, former President Ferdinand Marcos, was in power.
READ: Imelda Marcos guilty of graft, ordered arrested
Durana also chided critics who have been pressing to arrest Marcos that the PNP cannot make warrantless arrests.
“Sabi nga, wala pang warrant of arrest and some people are already saying bakit ‘di pa inaaresto (Some people are questioning why she hasn’t been arrested). Well, we cannot arrest anybody without the warrant of arrest. We are the nation of the laws, not of men,” the PNP spokesperson said.
“We operate within the bounds of the law. There’s no arrest warrant? We cannot execute the arrest,” Durana said. If ever it (arrest warrant) will come out, the CIDG was already tasked to effect the warrant of arrest),” he added.
The anti-graft court said in its decision that Marcos could face a sentence of six years and one month up to 11 years, aside from being perpetually disqualified from public office.
However, Marcos can still file a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court and may post bail since graft is not a bailable offense. /ee
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