PNP files admin charges vs chief of police, other officers over Jade Castro arrest

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has filed administrative charges against the police officers involved in the arrest of film director Jade Castro and his three friends.

This was revealed by Michel Marpuri, one of Castro’s lawyers, in a press conference on Tuesday, a day after the film director and his friends were released from the Catanauan Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility.

RELATED: Jade Castro, 3 others freed after court finds arrest 'invalid'

“I just got a phone call from the PNP Regional Internal Affairs Service, that they filed motu proprio administrative cases against the chief of police, the investigators and the arresting officers for unlawful arrest,” he said.

However, they expect the Calabarzon police to file a motion for reconsideration to assail the resolution that freed Castro and his friends. 

“Even the decision of the judge said na hindi niya binabalewala 'yung imbestigasyon ng police,” Peña said. 

(Even the judge's decision stated that he is not disregarding the police investigation.)

When asked if they will file counter-charges, Marpuri said that they are still deciding on the matter. 

On February 16, prosecutors recommended filing arson charges against Castro and his companions, alleging their involvement in the January 31 incident of setting fire to a modern jeepney in Catanauan.

The film director and his friends were arrested on February 1 without an arrest warrant after alleged witnesses of the incident identified them.

However, on February 6, a report by ABS-CBN news showed CCTV footage that Castro and his companions were in the town of Mulanay when the burning incident happened.

Philstar.com has reached out to the Catanauan police for a comment on this matter, but they have yet to give a response.

One of Castro’s legal counsels, Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) Chairman Chel Diokno said that the case of the director and his friends revealed systemic flaws of law enforcement due to their reliance on eyewitness testimonies.

The FLAG chief compared the legal process in other countries which he said is evidence-based. 

“Yung problema sa atin, 'yung ating PNP, yung ginagamit nilang batayan ay ang tinatawag