Napolcom: QC cops did not read Miranda rights
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 04/24/2009 9:07 AM
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The Quezon City policemen who arrested ABS-CBN news anchor Ted Failon's in-laws and household helpers may dismissed from the service and jailed for more than eight years for not reading the Miranda rights, a National Police Commission (Napolcom) official said Friday.
Napolcom Ed Escueta, vice chairman of the National Police, said that according to the commission's fact-finding team, members of the Quezon City Police District's Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) did not read the Miranda rights to the in-laws and household helpers of Failon.
Escueta said the findings was based on the footage of the arrests made by QCPD-CIDU members at Failon's house and at the New Era General Hospital last April 16.
Several QCPD-CIDU members, headed by its chief Senior Superintendent Franklin Mabanag and deputy chief Superintendent Gerardo Ratuita, arrested Pamela Arteche-Trinchera and Maximo Arteche at the hospital while Failon's wife, Trinidad Arteche-Etong, was dying.
Before the arrests of the Arteches, CIDU members arrested Mrs. Etong's nephew Pacifico Apacible and household helpers Carlota Morbos, Marfreda Bollecer, Glenn Polan -- at Failon's home in Tierra Pura Subdivision. Failon, Pamela and the four household helpers were charged for alleged obstruction of justice.
Mabanag, Ratuita and four other CIDU members identified as Senior Inspector Roberto Razon, Senior Police Officer 3 Jose Fernandez, PO2 Andy Salonga and PO2 Reno Riparip have been ordered suspended for 30 days for the alleged excessive use of force during the arrests.
"Sa pag-aresto ng mga suspects, ang batas po ay maliwanag na nag-uutos na kapag inaaresto ay pahalagahan ang dignidad ng tao at karapatang pantao," Escueta told ABS-CBN's morning show, "Umagang Kay Ganda."
He said an arresting officer who fails to read the Miranda rights to the suspects being arrested can be dismissed from the service and punished with eight year to 10 years imprisonment.
Escueta said that they are also looking into the possibility of adding more QCPD policemen on the list of suspended personnel involved in the arrests at the hospital.
An ABS-CBN News footage during the arrests made by Mabanag's team at the hospital showed at least six policemen wearing civilian clothes pushing Maximo Arteche into a waiting police car. Maximo was arrested for allegedly trying to prevent policemen from taking her sister, Pamela.
After the "objectionable" arrests, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno ordered the investigation into Mrs. Etong's death turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation.
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