A torture facility
in Biñan, Laguna

This is the latest information that could set back the reform movement by President Benigno Aquino III. And it is something that could smear the image of the administration and the suspicion that it hypocritically maintains secret torture of the enemies of the state and the administration.

Commission on Human Rights chair Loretta Ann Rosales considers the wheel of torture as “horrible.”

Rosales, herself a torture victim during the Marcos regime, said the torture allegations had been discussed with top PNP officials.

The CHR urged the Aquino administration to act immediately to put an end to the routine torture and also called the use of police officers for torture “despicable.”

Several PNP officers had been relieved of their posts, according to Marc Titus Ceuberos, CHR spokesman.

Initial investigation by the CHR revealed the possibility that the number of persons subjected to torture and other forms of illegal and reached 41. They were reportedly subjected to that treatment at the PNP provincial intelligence branch in Binan, Laguna.

Aquino’s communications secretary Sonny Coloma said: “We will wait for CHR’s findings recommendations on this specific matter as it has the priority responsibility for protecting and upholding human rights.”

It was not clear what steps had been taken by DILG Secretary Mar Roxas to punish the PNP personnel and to put a complete stop to the pernicious practice of torture of prisoners.

***

While we are disturbed by the reports of torture on a scale waged by the Laguna PNP intelligence section, we are also happy to note that the Philippine Sports Commissioner Joly Gomez considers Bacolod as the perfect host for sports and cited the 2005 Southeast Asia Games and grand festivals like the Masskara and Panaad sa Negros.

Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella has been grinning since the start of the Batang Pinoy 2014 national games.

Gomez yesterday urged local government units to vote into office “mayors who have a heart for sports and put in office sportsmen as they have in them all the necessary skills, including discipline and hard work to make a city and province progressive.

Puentevella also bared a plan to create a Sports High School that will house different athletes from the province. He said he will work with Governor Alfredo Marañon, a self-confessed sports advocate, to make the vision into a reality.

***

Something is really wrong with the police force of the country. The latest development was the arrest of a former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group official as leader of a carjacking gang in Taal, Batangas.

Jay Ar Lim – former CIDG – community investigative support agent in Paranaque City allegedly was the leader of a syndicate operating in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog province, according to Batangas police Chief Senior Superintendent Jireh Omega Fidel.

Lim and six others were arrested in a series of raids that included Laguna and Manila.

Batangas PNP officers rescued from Lim a stolen Toyota Fortuner, different police uniforms and identification cards indentifying him as a police officer.

Three other suspects were arrested by the Calabrazon police. They were arrested in Sta. Cruz, Manila last Monday, Calabrazon police director Jesus Gatchalian said.

Others were also arrested in Laguna, last Monday. He did not name them.

In short, we see here evidence of a downgrade in the quality of our police personnel. Among the still unsolved cases (which had renamed unfiled) are the controversial ambush by special forces and a special PNP team in Quezon.

The mastermind of the episode still remains in the hospital recovering from wounds buffered in the ambush. He remains “untainted by the entire thing.*

Commission on Human Rights Chair Loretta Ann Rosales reportedly considers what the hell of allegations had been discussed with top PNP officials.

The CHR urged the Aquino Administration to act immediately to put an end to the “routine torture” and also called the use of police officers to torture despicable.*

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