Ex-cop who threatened ICC, Interpol arrested over sedition raps

Former patrolman Francis Steve Fontillas has been arrested in connection with his social media posts threatening the International Criminal Court and the Interpol following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. — Photo from the Quezon City Police District

MANILA, Philippines — A former police officer was arrested in Quezon City on Monday afternoon on sedition charges over his social media posts following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, according to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

In an initial report sent to the media on Tuesday, the QCPD said that the police district served the arrest warrant against Francis Steve Fontillas for the charge of inciting to sedition in relation to Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act or Republic Act 10175.

READ: Cop faces sedition rap for social media posts on Duterte’s arrest

“During the arrest, [the] accused was apprised of his constitutional rights in a language known and understood by him,” the report read.

The QCPD stated that the search warrant was issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 224 Zita Marie Atienza-Fajardo, who set bail at P36,000.

The case stemmed from a social media post of Fontillas that read: “To ICC (International Criminal Court) and Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization), don’t even lay your finger on our Tatay Digong or else we will start the war that you can’t even imagine. This is not a warning; this is a threat!”

The QCPD earlier filed a complaint against Fontillas before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for violating Article 142 of the Revised Penal Code, which defines the crime of inciting to sedition, in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

The QCPD previously said that Fontillas was assigned to the District Personnel and Holding Admin Section; however, he had been absent without official leave since March.

READ: Napolcom dismisses vlogger-cop who threatened ICC, Interpol

The National Police Commission had dismissed Fontillas from his post in May. The commission en banc’s deliberations found the former cop “guilty of grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a police officer, and disloyalty to the government.”

‘No need to issue warning’

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said on Tuesday that there is no need to issue a warning against any PNP personnel, as he emphasized that Fontillas was the only cop who threatened to cause war.

“Well, I would like to think na si Fontillas is just a very, very small exception, an aberration to the organization, and we have 220,000 people,” Torre said in an interview with reporters.

“I don’t think that he has any following in the PNP so there is no need to warn or remind our personnel. We know that the PNP is professional.,” Torre added. /das