Marikina City Police chief Col. Erwin Dayag denied the abduction allegations made by Magsasaka Party-list nominee Lejun dela Cruz on Sunday, Feb. 2, stressing that his arrest was a legitimate police operation.
Dayag said Dela Cruz was nabbed by the police by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by the Las Piñas court for murder in 1992.
The official also stressed that the nominee was arrested in Pasig City, not in Cainta, Rizal.
Asked why the arresting officers were wearing civilian clothes, Dayag explained that they are members of the police intelligence unit.
"Upon learning that Lejun has a pending warrant vinalidate po natin 'yan sa court ng Las Piñas. Nag-conduct kami ng operation kasi before that ma'am nakikita na si Lejun somewhere in Pasig. Nagtatago talaga 'yan eh (Upon learning that Lejun has a pending warrant, we immediately validated it with the Las Piñas court. We then conducted an operation because we have been seeing him in Pasig. He really was in hiding)," he said.
The police said Dela Cruz allegedly fired at the officers first as they were informing him of his standing arrest warrant for murder.
"Ngayon itong si Lejun, ang ginawa nya bumunot ng baril, so nung bumunot siya ng baril pinutukan nung isa nating personnel (Lejun drew his gun first, which prompted one of our personnel to also draw and fire his gun)," Dayag explained.
Dela Cruz tried to escape from the police where a short chase ensued. One of the police officers was allegedly hit by Dela Cruz, forcing the other officers to shoot at the suspect's car tire leading to his arrest.
Dayag also denied claims that Dela Cruz was beaten by the police, saying that all police personnel involved in his arrest were wearing body cameras.
The suspect will be turned over to the Las Piñas Police, the official said.