Four policemen, who were accused of torturing two robbery suspects, were ordered restricted to the Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters after they were formally charged before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
MPD director Chief Supt. Roberto Rongavilla told the Inquirer that he had also directed that MPD Sta. Cruz station 3 Blumentritt police community precinct (PCP) personnel PO1s Lester Caguintuan, Christopher Duran, Richard Closa, and Andrei Nunez, be immediately disarmed.
The four policemen were relieved of their assignment at the PCP and detailed to the MPD headquarters while the allegations against them are being investigated by the district’s task force and the Napolcom.
The four policemen were charged with torture for allegedly pouring boiling oil and beating with yantok sticks two suspected passenger jeepney robbers they arrested early this week.
Robbery suspects and Sputnik gang members Gerry Diaz, 38; and Rommel Perez, 30, both of Dinalupihan Street in Tondo, accused the policemen of torture and forcing them to admit their participation in the crime.
Based on Blumentritt PCP records, the two men were arrested at around 3:50 a.m., Monday, minutes after they allegedly robbed passengers of a Monumento-bound jeepney at the corner of Rizal Avenue and Pampanga Street in Sta. Cruz.
Complainants Maria Cristina Galope and Amelita Alvarete were divested of their bags containing their mobile phones, P5,000 cash, and other personal belongings by three knife-wielding robbers.
The passengers of the jeepney were able to call the attention of a patrol car of the Blumentritt PCP which resulted in the arrest of two of the three suspects.
Diaz, showing bruises and burn marks on his arms, head and right shoulder, claimed he was simply mistaken by the policemen as one of the robbers.
The suspects were brought to the Jose Abad Santos General Hospital for the mandatory medical checkup before they were brought to the police detachment where Diaz claimed they were tortured to admit their involvement in the robbery.