Palace on detention of elderly jeepney driver: Charges must be faced regardless of age

Anyone charged with an offense should face it regardless of age, Malacañang said Tuesday, following calls to release on humanitarian grounds an elderly jeepney driver who was arrested supposedly for violating quarantine protocols.

“Titingnan po natin iyan kasi regardless of your age, kapag may pending case, kinakailangang harapin iyong kaso. Magkakaroon lang po iyan ng clemency if he is found guilty,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

Elmer Cordero, 72 and said to be suffering from hernia, was not released by the police on Monday due to a pending estafa case over unpaid rent. He had one other estafa case that had already been dismissed.

Cordero was part of the group of six drivers who were arrested on June 2 in Caloocan City for staging a protest as they were appealing that jeepneys should be allowed to resume operations amid the general community quarantine in Metro Manila.

Four of the six drivers were later allowed to post bail for their temporary liberty.

“Dadaan po iyan sa proseso ‘no, dadaan po iyan sa piskalya. At kung wala pong ebidensiya, madi-dismiss po iyong kaso,” Roque said. -MDM, GMA News