MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Thursday said it will investigate the case of a female Grab driver who was arrested in Taguig City for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
CHR spokesperson Jacqueline De Guia said the commission will look into the “possible misconduct” of the police officer, identified as Polie Captain Ronald Saquilayan, and whether there was “disregard of due process of law” as claimed by the female driver named Mary Florence Narial.
The CHR said it is “deeply concerned” with the manner of arrest and the policeman’s alleged assault on the woman.
“The 1987 Constitution guarantees that any person under investigation for the commission of a crime or offense ‘shall have the right to be informed of his right to remain silent and to have competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice’,” De Guia noted.
“We remind law enforcement agents to uphold their own standard protocols in conducting arrest and to be mindful of the legally allowable force to control someone who physically assaults an officer.”
“If there is proven abuse of authority, appropriate complaints will be filed before the PNP-Internal Affairs Service and the Office of the Ombudsman to hold the erring official accountable,” she added.
Narial was arrested Tuesday in Taguig City for allegedly attacking a police officer. But Narial said she merely acted in self-defense as the policeman attacked her first by hitting her with his car’s door.
Their altercation happened in front of a coffee shop where Narial said she fetched a passenger but could not leave because Saquilayan’s vehicle was blocking her way. The police officer was reportedly waiting for his daughter at the time.
Narial said she approached Saquilayan, who was inside his vehicle, to ask him to move his car so she can pass through. She also said that even the coffee shop’s manager and security guard appealed to the police officer to move his car away from the driveway. However, Saquilayan allegedly refused.
An altercation ensued and both Narial and Saquilayan claimed being attacked by the other. In the end, Narial was arrested by Saquilayan purportedly for alarm and scandal, direct assault, and disobedience of a person in authority. She was then detained in a nearby police station.
Grab Philippines, meanwhile, said that it will help post bail for Narial.