Press Release
April 17, 2009

ROXAS: POLICE MISHANDLING FAILON CASE

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today took the police to task for mishandling its investigation into the case of broadcaster Ted Failon, particularly in the manhandling of Failon's sister-in-law and others police accused of obstruction of justice.

"Nakiki-simpatiya ako kay Ted Failon at sa kanyang mga kaanak na kinailangang dumaan sa psychological torture na ito habang nagluluksa sila sila sa pagkamatay ng kanyang asawang si Trina. Nakakahiya at nakakainis na ganito na ka-bastos ang mga pulis natin (I sympathize with Ted Failon and his family who have to go through this psychological torture in the midst of their grief for the death of his wife Trina. This is a shame and it is irritating to see how rude our police are)," Roxas said.

Roxas said the police violated the rights of Failon's sister-in-law Pamela Arteche and house maids Wilfreda Bollicer and Carlota Morbos, driver Glen Pulan and houseboy Pacifico Apacible who were arrested yesterday allegedly for obstruction of justice.

"Kitang-kita ng publiko kung gaano kagaspang ang ugali ng mga pulis na umaresto sa kanila. Bastusan na ba talaga ang sistema natin ngayon? (The public saw how roughly our police handled Ted and the others accused by the police. Is the system really as bad as this?)" Roxas fumed.

He said that while it was imperative that the truth behind the tragic incident be found out at the soonest time, the maltreatment of Failon's relatives casts doubts on the reliability of the police investigation into the case.

"Alam ng lahat kung gaano katindi bumanat si Ted sa mga nasa gobyerno, lalo na ang mga pulis na corrupt. Nagdududa na tuloy ang marami na tina-target si Ted ng mga awtoridad sa imbestigasyong ito (Everyone knows how Ted criticizes this government, how much he abhors corrupt police officers. So now people suspect authorities are just getting back at Ted, that would explain the rough treatments)," the Visayan senator said.

He said the police have to review its procedures and train its officers and men in the proper handling of suspects to ensure their rights are always protected.

"DILG Secretarty (Ronaldo) Puno, tell your men to shape up," Roxas said.

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