Albayalde says ground cops already apologized to arrested journalist

PNP chief General Oscar Albayalde. INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said Monday that regional police officers already apologized to a veteran journalist they erroneously arrested recently in Misamis Oriental.

“Yes, [the apology was] already done. Accordingly, nagpa-sorry naman agad ‘yung mga pulis operatives natin,” Albayalde said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

(The apology was already done. Our police operatives immediately apologized to her.)

Joint police units accosted Margarita Valle, 61, at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental on Sunday morning.

She was placed under police custody for 11 hours at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Region 9 in Pagadian City, as she was released Sunday night after authorities found out she was merely mistaken as Elsa Renton, who goes by aliases Tina Maglaya and Fidelina Margarita Valle.

READ: CIDG frees journalist, admitting ‘case of mistaken identity’

Albayalde has yet to respond when asked if the PNP leadership will issue a separate apology since the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines called the arrest a “criminal abduction.”

In a separate text message, PNP spokesperson Police Col. Bernard Banac said the Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit in Zamboanga Peninsula is preparing for a statement of apology.

Albayalde said he had tapped CIDG to investigate possible lapses committed by ground officers during the arrest. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)

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