CHR to probe alleged torture inside Cavite police station

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will investigate the alleged torture of a detainee in a police station in Carmona, Cavite, after a video of which was leaked to the media.

The video, which was recorded using a mobile phone, shows a police officer, identified as Chief Inspector Jigger Noceda, hitting the unidentified detainee with a piece of wood.

CHR executive director Marc Sebreros said based on the cases handled by the commission in the past years, torture, extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances are still prevalent in the police and military.

Torture cases usually involved policemen while military personnel were usually tagged in extrajudicial killings, he said.

CHR records show 70 cases of torture involving 76 victims were recorded in 2013, while 51 torture cases involving 60 victims were brought to the attention of the commission in 2014.

It also said tha t70 cases of forced disappearances were recorded in 2013 and 51 cases were reported the following year.

Sebreros believes many cases go unreported because the victims fear for their lives.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperon Senior Superintendent Bartolome Tobias, meanwhile, said the police force has zero tolerance for torture.

He also said criminal and administrative charges have been filed against policemen accused of torturing suspects. —KBK, GMA News