Ex-political prisoners ask Ombudsman to reconsider complaints vs. PNP officials

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Two former political prisoners on Monday asked the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider the complaints filed against several Philippine National Police (PNP) officers over alleged illegal detention and planting of evidence.

According to Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, Manobo tribe member Julieta Gomez and indigenous people’s rights advocate Niezel Velasco were detained for four years and were released in April 2025 after the court junked the cases against them.

Gomez and Velasco filed a countercharge against five PNP officers for false testimony against a defendant, false testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation, unlawful arrest, liability for planting of evidence, and administrative charges.

“Ang ganitong kalakaran ay nagpapakita kung paanong madaling baluktutin ang rule of law upang pagtakpan ang mga paglabag ng estado at ng mga galamay nito,” the group said in a statement.

(This kind of practice shows how easily the rule of law can be distorted to cover up the violations of the state and its minions.)

“Ang tunay na hustisya ay makakamtan lamang kung papanagutin ang mga pulis na sangkot at kung titigil ang sistematikong pang-aabuso ng estado,” it added.

(Ang tunay na hustisya ay makakamtan lamang kung papanagutin ang mga pulis na sangkot at kung titigil ang sistematikong pang-aabuso ng estado.)

GMA News Online reached out to PNP for a comment. — BM, GMA News

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