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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PNP official hits back at CHR, FLAG over community doctor's arrest

PNP official hits back at CHR, FLAG over community doctor's arrest

Published Feb 22, 2022 04:08 pm

A ranking official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) hit back at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) over accusations that the police committed abuses in the arrest of community doctor Maria Natividad Castro.

Police Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat, director of the CARAGA regional police, said they have videos and other pieces of evidence proving that the arresting officers followed the procedures in the conduct of serving an arrest warrant on Castro last week in San Juan City.

"I am wondering why the CHR said that we committed a lot of violations in arresting Dra. Castro. There was no violations. We followed the police operational procedures and what are stated in the law," said Caramat in an interview over dwIZ.

In defending Castro's arrest, Caramat said the police acted based on the arrest warrant issued by a Bayugan City court in Agusan del Sur in connection with the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of a government militiaman in 2018.

He added that they even brought policewomen to physically search Castro as they anticipated allegations of harassment if a male police officer would do it.

After the arrest, Caramat said Castro was taken to a hospital in San Juan City for a medical check up before she was flown to Davao City airport and later transported to a police detention facility.

Caramat also insisted that Castro is a high-ranking officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA), the reason why the operation in San Juan was done quickly and why Castro was immediately taken to Bayugan City.

He added that Castro was again subjected to a medical check-up by a local physician to check on her medical condition after her arrival n Bayugan City. She was also provided with food and her other basic needs.

"So nagtataka po ako bakit putak ng putak itong mga taga CHR at saka ang mga FLAG, andaming mga sinasabing violations, Eh bakit yung mga ibang nahuli namin hindi naman sila nagrereact. Bakit dito sa pagkakahuli ni Dra. Castro eh putak sila ng putak. (I am wondering why the CHR and the FLAG (Free Legal Assistance Group) keep on blabbering about violations. Why were they not reacting on our other operations? But why are they talking a lot on the case of Dra. Castro?)," said Caramat.

"So meaning to say baka totoo talaga na ito nasaktan sila na talagang itong Dra. Castro ay isang miyembro ng central committee. Actually siya po ay leader ng
parang health department ng CPP-NPA (So probably, they were hurt because Dra. Castro is a member of the Central Committee. Actually, she is the leader of the equivalent of Health department of the CPP-NPA)," he added.

Caramat said they anticipate that allies of Castro would play up the arrest to get sympathy.

But he insisted that the burden of proof that the policemen committed violations is on the accusers.

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