Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., NCRPO chief. (File photo from the Calabaron Police Regional Office)
MANILA, Philippines — Six of 10 police officers allegedly involved in beating up a minor implicated in a crime in Navotas have been put under restrictive custody.
Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), shared the information with reporters in an ambush interview on Tuesday.
The officers are members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group.
According to initial reports, the minor was turned over by concerned citizens to the police officers for suspicion of being involved in a street crime. But the officers allegedly beat up the suspect.
“The case of the child who was allegedly punched and kicked and was injured is being investigated already,” Nartatez said, speaking partly in Filipino.
The parents of the child had no intention of filing a complaint, but the police would pursue the case.
“[We did this] so that we may pursue a case against these six to ten personnel of the Maritime Group in NCR stationed in Navotas. Actually, they are in restrictive custody because of that investigation,” Nartate said.