THREE policemen are under investigation for possible lapses in the arrest of film director Jade Castro and his three friends last month for alleged destructive arson.
Castro and his friends — Ernesto Orcine, Noel Mariano, and Dominic Ramos — were freed last Monday after a Quezon court dismissed the case filed by the prosecution.
The information was quashed by the court because police did not validly arrest the four suspects under the concept of hot pursuit operation.
The four were arrested in Mulanay, Quezon last February 1, a day after they supposedly burned a modern jeepney owned by the Gumaca Transport Service Cooperative in Catanauan, Quezon.
Lt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran, the spokesperson of the Calabarzon regional police office, said the three policemen are under investigation by the PNP Regional Investigation Affairs Service (RIAS).
Under probe for possible lapses were Capt. Daniel Dela Cruz, Sr. M/Sgt. Sergeant Jonjon Pordan, and Corporal Christian Abenilla.
“There are still no charges filed, the pre-charge investigation has just started…There’s still no formal (case), it’s still in the pre-charge investigation phase,” said Gaoiran.
“According to RIAS, they are determining if there were lapses in the arrest…They are looking if the arrest was valid, if there were lapses committed,” said Gaoiran.
The Calabarzon regional police office earlier said it believed the arrest was valid, adding they may refile the case against the four.
Gaoiran said RIAS is outside the control of the regional police office.
Gaoiran said the regional police will meet with investigators, prosecutors and the owner of the burnt jeepney to discuss the refilling of the case.
“If we need to add evidence (and) witnesses, we are going to do it,” said Gaoiran.
Gaoiran said they believe the arrest of the four was valid. “But the court saw something wrong with the arrest, that’s why they were released,” she said.
Gaoiran said what the PNP can do is to strengthen the case, refile it, and “hopefully we are going to win.”
