6 Manila cops face robbery raps

Six police officers are facing charges of robbery and serious physical injury filed by a Filipino overseas worker, who also accused them of manhandling him and breaking his arm.

In his complaint, Arturo Bautista, 37, a seaman home on vacation, said he was playing a card game of tong-its and two others at a neighbor’s house at around 1:30 a.m. last Thursday when the six policemen barged in and seized their bet money of P300.

When he asked for their identification — the officers were in plainclothes — one of them, PO2 Rommel Dimaguiba, grabbed him by the throat and dragged him outside.

Bautista then told them he wanted to call his sister before being taken away but the officers instead held his arms behind him, and one of them took his gold bracelet as they did. One of the officers, SPO1 Adriano Parco, twisted Bautista’s right arm so hard until Parco broke a joint.

Bautista’s sisters and a brother arrived to intervene and Parco drew his pistol and introduced himself as a police officer. The siblings then tried to free their brother and PO1 Aris Macapobre broke Bautista’s other arm during the commotion.

The officers left when they noticed that Bautista was in pain. The seaman was taken by his siblings to the National Orthopedic Hospital, where doctors recommended surgery.

Despite a summons from Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr., the six accused policemen, all detailed at the Abad Santos police station in Tondo, Manila, refused to face their accuser.

The other four officers were PO1 Melvin Calderon, PO3 Reynaldo Buan, and SPO2 Rolando Bañez.

They claimed they wanted to avoid being subjected to a trial by publicity. They maintained they will only answer the charges in court.

Abad Santos police station chief Superintendent Arturo Paglinawan defended his men, saying the arrest was legal. He said one of Bautista’s neighbors have complained against Bautista and his companions, accusing them of drinking liquor in a public place and illegal gambling.

Paglinawan added that one of the officers, Bañez, was not one of the arresting officers because he was assigned to a day duty. "The complainant is only engaged in witchhunting since Bañez is not part of the group which made the arrest."

He added that Bautista’s companions, Lyndon Lorenzana and Efren Galos, are now detained facing charges of drinking in a public place, illegal gambling and resisting arrest. He said Bautista is included in the charge sheet but remains at large.

Paglinawan also filed charges of obstruction of justice against several relatives and friends of Bautista for interfering in the arrest. "My men are ready to face their accusers in court."