8 COPS SUED FOR PLANTING EVIDENCE, ILLEGAL ARREST

EIGHT members of the Philippine National Police were charged yesterday
before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office for alleged planting of evidence
and illegal arrest of a housewife two years ago.

Charged with violation of Section 24 of Republic Act 6425, grave coercion
and arbitrary detention were Sr. Insp. Primitivo Bayongan Jr., PO1 Anatomy
Gabona, PO1 Churchill Marcelo, PO1 Leopoldo Mandois Jr., PO2 Porfirio Dooc
Jr., PO1 Rolly Flaviano, PO1 Eduardo Adonis and PO1 Benedict Romero of the
National Drug Law Enforcement and Prevention Coordinating Center in Camp Crame.

In her complaint-affidavit, Judy Namli of Block 14, Lot 8, Pearl St.,
Fairview, QC, claimed that on the night of Feb. 12, 2002, she was about to
enter a 24-hour convenience store in Mindanao Avenue when Gabona arrested
her for alleged possession of shabu, saying that she is Katy Shalam.

Namli denied the allegations, but another police officer approached them
and insisted to the complainant that she is Shalam. The respondents
allegedly forced her into their vehicle and drove her around the vicinity
then to Camp Crame, where she met a certain Susan Barredo.

Namli was allegedly forced to admit that she and Barredo know each other.
When she refused, Gabona allegedly demanded the amount of P300,000 for her
release.

The following day, Namli and Barredo were presented to the inquest
prosecutor where the respondents allegedly produced a sachet of shabu.

Meanwhile, Citizens Action Against Crime chairperson Teresita Ang-See
called on newly-appointed Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo
Reyes to solve the rising cases of planting of evidence and extortion by
police officers.