The Commission on Human Right (CHR) is deeply concerned with the manner of arrest and alleged assault by a police officer on a female Grab driver in Taguig City last Tuesday, 06 October 2020.

The Commission will look into the possible misconduct of the police officer identified as Captain Ronald Saquilayan, and investigate if there was a disregard of the due process of law as claimed by the victim in the video circulating online.

The 1987 Constitution guarantees that any person under investigation for the commission of a crime or offense “shall have the right to be informed of his right to remain silent and to have competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice.”

We remind law enforcement agents to uphold their own standard protocols in conducting arrest and to be mindful of the legally allowable force to control someone who physically assaults an officer. If there is proven abuse of authority, appropriate complaints will be filed before the PNP-Internal Affairs Service and the Office of the Ombudsman to hold the erring official accountable.

The CHR already reached out to the family of the victim and will also maintain constant coordination with the authorities to give light to the case. ###