On November 23, 2015, at around 12:30 in the morning, Jose Nayve, Armando Matres, George Bruce and Rommel Nuñez were arbitrarily arrested by the elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at a “peryahan” in Brgy. Manggahan, General Trias, Cavite. The police allegedly was in a hot pursuit operation after perpetrators of an explosion that happened at a telecommunications manhole in Brgy. Javalera, General Trias, Cavite.
On November 23, 2015, at around 12:30 in the morning, Jose Nayve, Armando Matres, George Bruce and Rommel Nuñez were arbitrarily arrested by the elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at a “peryahan” in Brgy. Manggahan, General Trias, Cavite. The police allegedly was in a hot pursuit operation after perpetrators of an explosion that happened at a telecommunications manhole in Brgy. Javalera, General Trias, Cavite.
Nayve, provincial coordinator of public transport group PISTON, heard a gunshot when he was approached by men from the barangay. Immediately after, police arrested Nayve and forced him into a police mobile while he was being kicked at the back.
Simultaneously, Bruce, a driver of a passenger van, was about to alight near the “peryahan” to urinate when he also heard a gunshot. A police approached him and asked if he was the driver of the van. The police then ordered Bruce to lie on the ground, tied his hands, and beat him. He was later forced into the police mobile and was brought to the Manggahan police station.
Nuñez, an occasional construction and farm worker, and unemployed Matres were also beaten and arrested by the police after firing a warning shot. They were beaten and dragged into the police mobile. At the Manggahan police station, all four were interrogated, threatened, and subjected to various forms of torture to admit participation in the alleged bombing incident. Policemen wearing their uniforms and unnamed men in civilian clothes tortured them at the police station.
Nayve and Bruce were interrogated while beaten and electrocuted. Nayve was also hit with the butt of an armalite. Matres and Nuñez were also beaten while undergoing interrogation. Nayve recalled that his head was covered with cloth and plastic that caused his suffocation. Bruce was also subjected to the same torture. Matres was threatened to suffer the same fate as the other accused if he will not cooperate.
From November 23, the four were brought to different jails until on November 27, they were finally detained at BJMP Malabon in General Trias, where they underwent another round of interrogation and torture.
“We condemn the illegal arrest and torture of civilians who were rounded up in General Trias. Like the military, brutality has become a policy and practice of the Philippine National Police,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.
The police charged Nayve, Bruce, Matres, and Nuñez with malicious mischief and violation of RA 9516 or illegal possession of firearms, and explosives. They are currently undergoing preliminary investigation.
“The charges against the four men must be immediately set aside. Their rights were obviously denied when they were arrested without basis and subjected to torture while under police custody. They have been denied their right of having an independent counsel of their choice while being asked incriminating questions by the arresting officers, ” concluded Palabay. ###