NPA reb’s torture claims belied

The Philippine National Police (PNP) belied claims that arrested New People’s Army (NPA) Southern Luzon leader Jaime Padilla experienced torture while under police custody.

“We are denying the accusations made (against the PNP) in relation to Mr. Jaime Padilla who was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest. There is no truth to the allegations,” PNP spokesman PBGen. Bernard Banac said in a press briefing.

“All procedures Mr. Padilla underwent are all normal procedures done to arrested suspects undergoing investigation,” he added.

Banac was reacting to allegations made by militant group Karapatan that Padilla, considered by authorities as a high-value target, was tortured before being transferred from detention at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Camp Crame to “an undisclosed location.”

Karapatan also threatened to sue all those behind the arrest of Padilla.

The PNP refuted this and insisted that there was no irregularity in the transfer of Padilla from the CIDG to a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro as it was the province’s Regional Trial Court that issued the warrant for the NPA leader’s arrest.

“He will be presented to the court for his case and for justice to be served to the victims of the crimes he has committed,” Banac stated.

“The public has nothing to fear. The PNP observes all established procedures and respects the rights of arrested suspects,” added the official.

Padilla was apprehended in a joint operation of the police and military last 25 November while undergoing treatment for hypertension at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.

He was temporarily detained at the CIDG and then transferred to the custody of the BJMP two days later.