PNP on alleged illegal arrest of UP employee: UP may complain, CIDG cops only doing their job

MANILA, Philippines — It would be the University of the Philippines’ (UP) call to file a complaint against the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), after its operatives arrested a university employee inside the campus, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.

“The police officers just did their job on the basis of a call from a concerned resident from UP. And if the university wants to complain because the cops did their job in the university compound, it’s their (UP) call,” said PNP spokesman Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, reacting to the controversy hounding the CIDG after it arrested UP Asian Center employee Jun Nario and a colleague inside the UP Diliman campus.

In a report on Monday, UP Office of the Student Regent flagged the CIDG’s “illegal arrest,” saying it violated the 1992 agreement, which is still being reviewed by

Nario and his colleague were arrested in Pook Village A on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. UP Office of the Student Regent said Nario was immediately released “after UP lawyers intervened.”

Jonathan Malaya, spokesman and Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said the “illegal arrest” could be raised during their meeting with UP officials to review the 1992 accord, which prohibits police from entering campuses without asking permission from the university.

“I don’t have all the facts of the case yet. But in any case, will wait for UP to raise this matter in the meeting of the UP-DILG TWG [Technical Working Group] created under the 1992 UP-DILG agreement,” Malaya said in a text message to INQUIRER.net, when sought for reaction about the arrest of Nario and his colleague.

“That is the proper venue for issues concerning the implementation of the agreement,” Malaya added.

Police Colonel Glenn Silvio, chief of CIDG-National Capital Region, explained that the CIDG Quezon City acted on a complaint about alleged online numbers game and mass gathering at a village in UP Diliman campus.

But upon checking the house, Silvio said Nario and a colleague were “legally” watching horse race betting, which led to their immediate release.

“Mayroong nag-complain na maraming tao sa bahay. Parang may illegal gambling ng video karera. Tapos pinuntahan ng CIDG Quezon City, chineck kung maraming tao. May pinapanood na parang online karera so ininvite sila [Nario], may mga tinatayaan,” said Silvio in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, when sought for confirmation regarding the UP Student Regent report that an employee was arrested.

(There was a complaint that there were a lot of people in that house. There was an illegal gambling of video karera. After this, Quezon City went to check. Upon checking, Nario and his colleague were engaging in illegal gambling. Subesequently, they invited Nario and his colleague to the barangay.)

“Nag-invite sa kanila [Nario and colleague] sa [barangay] office. Noong ininterview sila legal pala sa tinatayaan nila sa off track horserace betting so nirelease agad sila sa presence ng barangay kagawad,” he added.

(Nario and his colleague were invited to the barangay office. It was found out that their off track betting was legal after all, so they were released in the presence of the village councilor.)

The UP employee was released in “good health” by the barangay, Silvio also assured.

“Nag-sign sila [Nario] ng affidavit na hindi sila sinaktan. In good health at wala namang kinuha sa kanila,” Silvio said.

(They signed an affidavit that they were not hurt, they were in good health and nothing was taken from them.)

Silvio said he could not say if CIDG asked permission from the university administration before arresting the UP worker.

INQUIRER.net sought UP administration’s side but has yet to reply as of posting.

Previously, both officials of UP and DILG agreed to update the 1992 agreement because it has “served its purpose in the past.”

Another agreement, UP-Department of National Defense, was abrogated in January but both parties are also reviewing the deal, which bans police and military from entering campuses without prior notification from university management.

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