Sen. Robin Padilla demanded justice for the arrest of a 62-year-old Muslim last August due to mistaken identity, having the same name as a man linked to heinous crimes.
During his privilege speech on Wednesday, Sept. 6, Padilla questioned his arrest and possible discrimination against Mohammad Maca-Antal Said, who was arrested last Aug. 10. Padilla said "Tatay Mohammad" was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as he was preparing to depart for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
"Ito po mahal na Ginoong Pangulo ay nilalapit ko sa ating lupon para mabigyan po ng hustisya ang matandang Muslim na ito na taga Lanao na sa mga oras na ito Ginoong Pangulo ay naghihimas ng rehas. Nakakulong pa rin po siya. Inilapit po namin sa korte ang sabi ng korte kailangan pang dumaan sa proseso. Hindi ko na po maintindihan kung ano bang proseso kailangan e matagal nang patay ito ang suspect na sinasabi nila (Mr. President, I am bringing this to your attention so we can give justice to this elderly Muslim who up to now remains behind bars. We inquired about his case before the courts, but they said we have to follow procedures. What procedures are there to follow when the one he is confused with has been dead? I cannot understand)," he said.
"Ang kaso po ng mistaken identity ay hindi makatwiran, hindi makatarungan at hindi makatao. Hindi na po ito katanggap-tanggap lalo na sa panahon na bumubuhos ang technology at innovation. Kung nais nating ibalik ang buong tiwala ng publiko at patatagin ang pundasyon ng isang makatarungang lipunan, wala na pong Pilipino ang matutulad sa kapalarang sinapit ni Tatay Mohammad (This case of mistaken identity is unjust and inhumane. It is unacceptable in this age of technology and innovation. If we want to restore public trust and form a just society, no Filipino should suffer the same fate as Tatay Mohammad)," he added.
Maca-Antal, according to Padilla, who hails from Balo-i, Lanao del Norte, happened to have the same name as one Mohammad Said a.k.a. Ama Maas who has nine arrest warrants.
Padilla showed photos of Maca-Antal and Ama Maas, who he said look very different.
He added that in 2018, Maca-Antal had been arrested because of a similar case of mistaken identity and was released by the NBI. Also, he said the NBI issued clearances in 2018 and 2019 saying he had no derogatory record.
Also, he noted the elderly Muslim was in Saudi Arabia from 2001 to October 2011 - and could not have been in the Philippines when one of the crimes involving Amah Maas occurred in July 2011.
Besides, he said Ama Maas died in 2016 during a military operation in Sulu.
"Paanong mapipiit sa bilangguan isang indibidwal na may NBI clearance na 'No Derogatory Record,' malayang nakalabas-pasok sa bansa ng ilang ulit, wala sa Pilipinas sa panahong sinasabing nangyari ang mga krimen, at higit sa lahat, malayong hindi tumutugma sa itsura ng akusado na ayon po sa mga balita ay pitong taon ng naulat na patay? Dahil lamang po kapangalan niya yung Mohammad Said (How can you detain someone with an NBI clearance, without a derogatory record, left and returned to the country several times, and does not look like the man accused of several crimes and has been reported dead? Just because he had the same name Mohammad Said)," he asked.
Because of this, Padilla sought to address the loopholes in information-sharing among agencies.
"Mayroon po ba tayong teknolohikal na imprastraktura para sa harmonized, integrated at interconnected na sistema ng gobyerno (Do we have the technology and infrastructure for a harmonized, integrated and interconnected system)?" he asked.
"Ang pinakamahalagang punto po ay ang pagsusuri ng ating mga sistema at polisiya para sa ating mga ahensyang nagpapatupad ng batas sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng tumpak na kritikal na impormasyon sa paghuli sa mga aktwal na kriminal (We must take a look at our law enforcement agencies' systems and policies in accurately sharing critical information in catching criminals)," he added.