Man beat up by cop wants thorough police probe

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — A man who was allegedly kidnapped and beaten up by a police officer in Pampanga is crying for justice, as he reiterated his appeal for a deeper and impartial investigation on the case.
The victim was identified as Romnick Santos, 21, a resident of B-125 lot 14 EPZA, Pulung Cacutud, Angeles City, while the suspect is Police Inspector S. Edejer, a resident of the same village who was assigned at the Sta. Ana police station at the time of the incident.
Salvador Santos, father of the victim, said it has been more than a year that their case against the police inspector has not been settled and given due justice.
“I would like to ask again the help of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Raul Bacalzo, Regional Director Edgardo Ladao and PNP Provincial Director Edgardo Tinio in the investigation of the case,” the elder Santos said.
He also said he will bring the case to the attention of Governor Lilia Pineda.
In his letter to Bacalzo, Santos said, “Ang buong pangyayari ay isang mabigat na alalahanin sa akin at sa aking pamilya sapagkat hanggang ngayon ay wala pa pong nangyayari sa isinampa kong kaso sa inyong pulis na si Edejer na malayang gumagala at patuloy na naghahasik ng takot sa akin bilang ama ni Romnick at ng aking pamilya.”
Cases of kidnapping and frustrated murder were filed against Edejer at the Angeles City Prosecutor’s office.
However, in a resolution, the prosecutor’s office has found no probable cause to indict the police officer for the crime of kidnapping while the case of frustrated murder was dismissed.
According to the sworn statement of the victim, he was at a corner with his friend Aries Raquel in one of the streets in their place around 7 p.m. of May 20, 2010 when Edejer arrived aboard his Pajero SUV.
Romnick said Edejer told him to get into the vehicle but he refused. Then, the police officer took out his gun and poked it at him, forcing him to board the vehicle.
While in the car, the younger Santos said that Edejer asked him who the drug pushers in their town are and when he answered he does not know anybody who sells illegal drugs, the police officer whipped him with a gun in the head.
“He also hit me on the side of my body,” Romnick said.
“He then pushed me out of the vehicle along a road in San Pablo in Sta. Ana town and then passed out,” he added.
“When I woke up, I was already at the Jose B. Lingad Hospital in the City of San Fernando,” the victim said.
He was later transferred to the Mother Theresa of Calcutta Hospital also in the City of San Fernando.
The younger Santos also said he sustained injuries in the head and other parts of the body that nearly caused his death.
In February 2011, the police Regional Internal Affairs Service dismissed the administrative case filed against Edejer.
The case was dismissed because of alleged lack of interest on the part of the complainant, the record showed.
But, Romnick said, the reason why he failed to attend a pre-hearing conference was there was no subpoena or communication received by them.
However, a record showed that the victim was notified through a radio message sent to the Angeles City Police office.
The same record also showed that the address of the complainant is different or incorrect.
Suspect Edejer supplied the address, the record said.
“Paano siya (Edejer) magkakamali when he and the victim live in the same area,” a relative of the Santoses said.
Also, the elder Santos revealed that Edejer’s warrant of arrest was held in abeyance by the judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 56 of Angeles City.
The court said in his order: “Considering the admission of the public prosecutor that there is a pending motion for reconsideration filed by the accused with their office, in the interest of procedural due process, the accused motion to hold in abeyance determination of judicial probable cause, issuance of warrant of arrest and other proceedings is granted.”
For his part, Edejer denied the accusation. He averred that the complainant voluntary went with him to the Sta. Ana police Station and that he did not threaten nor force him to go with him.
Edejer said that while they were on their way back to Angeles City, the front door of the passenger side of his vehicle opened and that Romnick accidentally fell on the road.
He then rushed Romnick to the hospital and shouldered all the medical expenses, the police officer said.
Romnick’s friend, Aries, who was with him when the police officer picked up the victim, said in his affidavit that he saw Edejer forcibly took the victim with a gun.
“The accused has no business or authority to conduct any police investigation within Angeles City as at the time of the incident, Edejer was assigned at the Sta. Ana Police Station,” the victim said.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2011/07/08/man-beat-cop-wants-thorough-police-probe-165772

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