2 PISTON drivers, including 72-year-old, remain in police custody

Two of the six PISTON drivers who had been arrested for staging a protest were not released from detention because of previous cases allegedly filed against them, the chief of the Caloocan City Police explained on Monday.

Police Colonel Dario Menor bared that 43-year-old Wilson Ramilia and 72-year-old Elmer Cordero had carnapping and estafa cases, respectively.

"'Yung si Wilson Ramilia, may kaso siya ng carnapping... si Elmer Cordero naman po ay may estafa siya na nakaarchive tapos may warrant of arrest siya," Menor told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

According to Menor, the Caloocan City Police was not privy to the details of the cases of the two drivers. He said despite posting bail, the court did not clear their release from jail.

Menor said police only learned about the previous cases on Monday, June 8.

"Hindi po namin alam 'yung details, ang pinanggalingan po ng report na 'yun ay sa court," Menor said.

"Kailangan nilang iayos po, magapply po sila doon sa ano sa court of origin ng kanilang mga warrant po," he added.

Menor said the other four drivers were freed after each posted the P3,000 bail.

The PISTON drivers were arrested on June 2 for staging a protest as they were appealing that jeepneys should be allowed to resume operations amid the general community quarantine.

Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Secretary-General Renato Reyes was appalled with the elderly Cordero's continued detention.

Reyes argued that 72-year-old just happened to have the same name as the person with the estafa case.

“[T]here's no time to verify if it is him. He spends another day in jail. He is 72 for f_ck's sake! Even on humanitarian grounds he should be freed. Teribleng kawalan ng hustisya talaga,” the BAYAN secretary-general wrote on Facebook.  — DVM, GMA News