Ex-PNP chief Razon, 10 others surrender after arrest order

Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Avelino Razon Jr. and 10 others surrendered to authorities Wednesday, hours after the Sandiganbayan ordered their arrest over graft and malversation charges.

According to Bernadette Reyes's report on GMA News's “24 Oras,” Razon and the others, including former PNP directors Geary Barias and Eliseo dela Paz, would be detained at the custodial center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“I believe in our justice system. Ngayong lumabas na ang warrant of arrest namin from the Sandiganbayan, I will voluntarily surrender myself to the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan and squarely face the charges against me and hopefully prove my innocence in court,” Razon said.

Earlier in the day, the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division ordered the arrest of Razon and 32 others in connection with 12 criminal charges stemming from alleged fictitious payments for repairs and purchase of police vehicles.

In a resolution, the anti-graft court affirmed the recommendation of the Ombudsman to hold 28 of the respondents "without bail" over charges of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.

Based on the case filed by the Ombudsman last year, Razon and his co-accused had "ghost repaired" 28 V-150 Light Armored Vehicles in 2007 for P400 million. — Amanda Fernandez/KBK, GMA News