Filtered By: Topstories
News

Ombudsman clears cops, soldiers in wrongful arrest of Davao journalist


For lack of evidence, Ombudsman Samuel Martires has junked the charges of grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority and conduct unbecoming of public official against police and military officials who arrested journalist Fidelina Margarita " Ging" Valle on mistaken identity.

In a 23-page Resolution, the Ombudsman said that the physical restraint experienced by Valle with authorities during her June 2019 arrest in the Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro was within legal grounds.

“The arresting offices enjoy the presumption of regularity in the performance of official duty, absent satisfactory proof to the contrary,” the Resolution said.

Valle, a veteran journalist and development worker, was arrested by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 9 at 10:30 a.m. last June 9, 2019 while waiting for her flight home to Davao City on the warrant of arrest issued against a certain Elsa Renton.

Valle was released at around 8:45 p.m., after nine hours of detention in Pagadian City, about 200 kilometers away from the airport.

The Ombudsman further justified the police’s action of arresting the wrong individual by saying that the police merely honestly believed that their actions were within legal grounds and executed the warrants of arrest using a confidential information that Elsa Renton will be at the Laguindingan airport on June 9, 2019, even if the police were taking an action based of a blurry photograph of Renton.

“The blurry photograph of Elsa Renton, in some way, has semblance to the physical characteristics of the complainant such that both are elderly and have short white hair,” the Resolution read.

“While there may be lapses in the operations, the arrest was legal at that time since the arresting officers were under the impression that Elsa Renton and complainant are one and the same person. The arrest was a clear case of mistaken identity,” the Ombudsman added.

Of the 13 respondents, the Ombudsman only held Police Colonel Tom Tuazon and Police Captain Moh Madzie-Aziz  Mukaram administratively liable for simple neglect of duty—a verdict that meant three months suspension without pay.—LDF, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT