IMEG agents nab cop for ‘abusing’ wife
PHILIPPINE National Police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) Director Brigadier General Warren F. De Leon, on Tuesday, announced the arrest of a policeman in General Santos City wanted for violation of Republic Act 9262 or the anti-women and child abuse law.
The official said the suspect is a Police Corporal of the 1201st Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12.
He said that members of the PNP-IMEG Mindanao Field Unit under Colonel Mario C. Cortes served the warrant of arrest issued against the accused in Purok Lansong in Barangay Tambler, General Santos City, past 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Judge Jerome Beatisola of the General Santos City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 22 ordered the arrest of the cop for violation of Section 5 of RA 9262 last March 7. He recommended a P72,000 bail for the temporary liberty of the accused.
The court issued the warrant of arrest against the cop amid a complaint from his wife, De Leon said. According to the complainant, during the course of their marriage, the accused has caused her mental or emotional anguish by subjecting her to public ridicule or humiliation as well as repeated verbal and emotional abuse and denial of financial support or custody.
A tracker team from the IMEG Mindanao Field Unit led by Police Executive Master Sergeant Arnold Badiang, with the support of officers from the PRO12 Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG), the General Santos City Police Station 12, and the Regional Highway Patrol Unit 12 arrested the policeman.
The accused was duly informed of his constitutional rights before being taken to the General Santos City Police Station 12 for booking and documentation pending the return of the warrant to the issuing court.
De Leon said that the arrest of the accused is part of their ongoing effort to account for members of the police force who are facing warrants of arrest issued by different courts nationwide for various criminal offenses.
“Amid the nationwide observance of National Women’s Month, we are also going after policemen who have been accused of violating the rights of their spouses, live-in partners, as well as their kids, as we have [the] policy to ensure the protection of women and children from violence and threats to their personal safety and security,” the PNP-IMEG director said.
