Ecija cops arrest CHR witness, pal on gun charges

ANGELES CITY — The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said a female witness of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in "political killings" in Central Luzon was forcibly taken by policemen in Cabanatuan City last Monday.

According to Bayan, Aprilyn Perido, together with companion Eloisa Tucay, was nabbed in the absence of any court-issued arrest warrant in front of the Wesleyan Divinity College at about 6:25 p.m. Monday and brought to the Cabanatuan City police station.

Perido and Tucay are both organizers of the militant group Anakbayan. Last Aug. 24, Perido, together with eight other witnesses, testified during the CHR’s public inquiry into the political killings and other human rights violations committed by men of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division in Central Luzon.

Roman Polintan, Bayan-Central Luzon head, claimed that the police planted firearms on Perido and Tucay "to lend legitimacy to their warrantless arrest."

Polintan added that a policeman, a certain Alma Sta. Maria, allegedly slapped Perido to force her to take off her clothes for scrutiny.

But Chief Superintendent Rafael Rafanan, regional police director, denied that the two women were framed up and harassed.

"My men in Cabanatuan City denied that arms were planted on Perido and her companion. They were also never manhandled," he said in a phone interview.

He said charges of illegal possession would be filed against them.