Witnesses tag cop in torture

MANILA, Philippines - Four witnesses have identified Senior Inspector Joselito Binayug, relieved commander of the Asuncion police community precinct in Tondo, Manila as the police officer beating up a robbery suspect in a torture video.

National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Leocadio Santiago said yesterday they were able to trace the four witnesses through their massive search of the police blotter confiscated from the Asuncion police precinct.

“My men have sifted through at least 100 pages of the police blotter and we traced the four witnesses who claimed they were inside the said detention cell when the torture happened. They claimed that they, too, were tortured and released,” according to Santiago.

Santiago also said they have narrowed down the identity of the torture victim.

Santiago identified the victim as Darius Evangelista, who was positively identified by his wife Ana.

Ana, who is now under the protective custody of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), claimed her husband has been missing for months.

Ana positively identified her missing husband through the tattoos on his body. She had last seen him in March while leaving their house.

Santiago said the four witnesses are now under the custody of Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla, Task Force Asuncion chief.

“We would come up with a breakthrough in the case anytime soon,” he said.

Santiago added they are still searching for an entry in the confiscated police blotter regarding the arrest of Evangelista and his possible release from custody.

While the four witnesses pointed to Binayug as the man in white t-shirt and shorts in the torture video, the police officer’s lawyer insisted the man in the video was not his client.

The torture video that was leaked to the media showed a police officer cursing and whipping the suspect while pulling on a rope that was tied to the victim’s genitals.

The video was shown on video sharing websites such as YouTube and even made it to some international news websites on the Internet.

The accusations immediately fell on Binayug and his men after it was recognized that the torture was held at the Asuncion community police precinct in Tondo.

Binayug, who remains under the custody of Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay, merely shrugged off the accusations, saying he would only speak before a proper forum.

Task Force Asuncion is set to file charges against Binayug and 11 of his men before the Department of Justice (DOJ) today.

Santiago said the summary hearing of the administrative case against Binayug and the other police officials is also underway.

Rongavilla directed Binayug and the other policemen to submit their counter-affidavit on Friday.

Initially, the 11 policemen denied having a hand in the torture of Evangelista.

Rongavilla said they are still determining who among 11 policemen were on duty at the time of the torture of Evangelista.