PNP finds out lapses in pastor's Laguna arrest

National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon has ordered an investigation into the arrest of a church leader in Laguna last Sunday after initially finding out lapses on the way the operation was conducted. In a statement, the PNP said Director Geary Barias, head of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), was tapped by Calderon to lead the probe. Berlin Guerrero, 40, lay minister of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), was snatched by police and Navy operatives on Sunday afternoon in Casili village, Biñan, Laguna after attending church services. The arrest was based on warrants issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 19 of Bacoor, Cavite for the crime of Murder, and by the Municipal Trial Court of Calamba City for the crime of inciting to sedition. Guerrero is a former Secretary-General of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Southern Tagalog. "Granting that it was a legitimate police operation to serve a lawful order from the court, it appears from all indications that there is something amiss as far as observance of Police Operational Procedures is concerned, particularly on the manner of serving the Warrants of Arrest and effecting the arrest," Barias said. Intelligence personnel of the Cavite Police Provincial Office and operatives of the Naval Intelligence and Security Force (NISF) were the ones who arrested Guerrero. Aside from the illegal arrest, the family of Guerrero also complained that the latter was tortured while under custody of the Cavite Police Provincial Office. "Allegations of manhandling and robbery will also be looked into," Barias said. Guerrero will be presented to the courts in Cavite and Laguna for his final disposition. - GMANews.TV