Cops claim Menorca wife hid warrant, badge

An emotional Jinky Menorca during a press conference in Greenhills, San Juan on the arrest of his husband former Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) minister Lowell Menorca. At the foreground is their child. INQUIRER PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

The wife of expelled Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member Lowell Menorca II grabbed and hid the warrant and badge of the arresting policeman before making a scene, saying that the police didn’t have these documents, according to a report by the Manila Police District (MPD) submitted to the Philippine National Police.

“We are not initially taking this report at face value. There are still investigations being conducted by the MPD and the district Internal Affairs Service,” the PNP spokesperson, Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, said on Thursday of Menorca’s arrest.

“This is what happened according to the MPD. If the other party claims this is not what happened, they can seek remedies. They can also file a case in other agencies, such as the Ombudsman and Napolcom,” Mayor said.

Menorca was arrested on Wednesday by a tracker team of the MPD Pandacan Station on his way to a scheduled cross-examination in the Court of Appeals (CA).

Between the CA subpoena and the arrest warrant “it was the decision on the ground to prioritize the warrant. That can be resolved by a judicial authority, which is right and wrong,” Mayor said.

“On the part of the PNP, we will determine (if there were) internal violations. That is why the concerned police unit initiated an investigation,” Mayor said.

According to the MPD report, the police officers “cautiously approached the respondent then introduced themselves.”

PO3 Arnel Santos presented his PNP ID and read the warrant of arrest. The policeman also informed Menorca of his constitutional rights while PO2 Samson Sison and PO2 Dennis Ramos took him into custody.

But Menorca’s wife “suddenly appeared and then grabbed the copy of the warrant of arrest and Santos’ ID.

“PO3 Santos tried to recover his ID and the warrant but Mrs. Menorca slapped the police officer and then kicked his right leg before running inside the Toyota Innova. After hiding the warrant and ID inside the vehicle, Mrs. Menorca went out and started to create a commotion by shouting ‘Asan ang warrant of arrest nyo? Asan ang badge nyo kung pulis ka,’” the report said.