CA denies appeal of Manila cop in torture video

 Manila, Philippines - The Court of Appeals (CA) denied a petition filed by a Manila policeman charged for the torture of a robbery suspect at the Meisic police station in 2010.

The CA’s 16th division said it dismissed Senior Police Officer 3 Joaquin de Guzman’s petition to nullify the charges against him for its “formal infirmity and lack of merit.” The appellate court said De Guzman failed to attach relevant portions of the record to enable the CA to determine whether the evidence is sufficient to warrant his indictment and arrest.

The CA said it cannot just pass upon De Guzman’s defense of denial and alibi against the evidence of the prosecution such as the Department of Justice’s Aug. 22, 2011 resolution charging him before the Manila regional trial court, as well as the individual affidavits of witnesses.

De Guzman is one of seven Manila police officers accused of torturing and killing Darius Evangelista. The torture was caught on video, which went viral last year.

Evangelista’s widow, Margie Catalan-Evangelista, filed the charges against De Guzman, Senior Inspector Joselito Binayug, SPO1 Rodolfo Ong, SPO1 Dante Bautista, PO1 Nonito Binayug and PO1 Rex Binayug. Also included in the case is Superintendent Rogelio Rosales Jr., who was chief of the Meisic police station at the time.