Manila cops face raps over ‘secret cell’
National Capital Region Police Director Oscar Albayalde inspects a makeshift cell hidden behind a shelf in the Manila Police District Station 1’s drug enforcement unit office. STAR/Edd Gumban, File
MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) yesterday filed charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against police officers assigned with the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 1 in Tondo where a “hidden cell” was discovered last month.
CHR officer-in-charge Karen Gomez-Dumpit submitted to the ombudsman sworn statements of investigators who joined the inspection of the police station on April 27.
Dumpit said they found sufficient evidence for the ombudsman to investigate relieved MPD Station 1 commander Superintendent Robert Domingo and other members of the police station.
The CHR filed a complaint against the Manila policemen for grave threats, arbitrary detention, grave coercion, robbery, extortion and violation of the Anti-Torture Law, which prohibits the existence of secret detention cells.
Dumpit said they were considering filing a supplemental complaint against MPD chief Senior Superintendent Joel Coronel
for command responsibi-
lity.
A team from the CHR discovered the hidden cell where 12 drug suspects, including three women were held.
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