Iloilo police file charges vs congressman, mayor who allegedly mauled cop
Iloilo police on Thursday afternoon filed criminal and administrative cases against Guimbal Mayor Oscar Garin and his son, Representative Richard Garin before the Ombudsman for allegedly mauling a police officer.
In a TV report, seven criminal and four administrative charges were filed against the Garins and their two bodyguards who mauled PO3 Federico Macaya in Guimbal town December 26.
Included in the criminal charges were direct assault, grave coercion, grave threat, physical injuries, slander by deeds, serious illegal detention and alarm and scandal.
Administrative charges were grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming, oppression, and abuse of authority.
Macaya was accompanied by Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba, Iloilo provincial director, at the Ombudsman regional office.
On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano to file charges against the politicians who mauled the police officer.
Duterte said it's not right to maul a police officer if you think he made a mistake.
"Well, if the police has a mistake, it's not a reason especially a police officer to be mauled by you," he said in an ambush interview after visiting the wake of Rep. Rodel Batocabe in Albay.
"So again, you can file charges. I will ask General Ano to take a look why it happened, investigate. I'm not urging him. I'm ordering him to file a case against the two," Duterte added.
The Garins were reportedly angry at Macaya after the latter did not file a complaint against a 28-year-old man who Assaulted another man at the public plaza last December 22. Ella Dionisio/DMS
