San Rafael Police chief, 3 cops relieved after wrongful arrest try

Three policemen of San Rafael, Bulacan were relieved from their posts after they tried to arrest the wrong person outside a restaurant in the town.

According to Jun Veneracion's report on "24 Oras," the chief of police was also relieved for command responsibility.

While eating at a restaurant in Baliuag, Bulacan, a businessman was told that someone crashed into his parked car. When the businessman and another coworker went to check on his vehicle, individuals who introduced themselves as police forced the businessman into a car.

The businessman refused to go with the police, asking for help from restaurant workers. This prevented the police from taking him in.

According to the businessman’s complaint, the police officers were not able to show him a warrant when they tried to arrest him. As it turned out, the businessman was mistaken for another suspect.

Another possible lapse of the sacked cops was a failure to coordinate with local police authority in Baliuag.

The three cops assigned to the case were removed from their posts. The chief of the San Rafael Municipal Police Station was also removed due to command responsibility.

They are also facing administrative and criminal cases, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP)

“They are now in hot water. They have been relieved of their posts. They were assigned to a regional holding unit and are facing administrative and criminal cases,” PNP chief Police Gen. Jose Nartatez Jr. said in a media interview.

Acting Chief of the PNP Public Information Office P/Col. Allen Co said that the mistake was further compounded when the San Rafael police officers did not immediately report their error.

“They only reported it after it went a bit viral, after 12 hours,” Co said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Co said they were also investigating if it was possible that the wrongful arrest was not accidental, but part of a scheme. –Jean Mangalum/NB, GMA News