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The police chief of Carmona, Cavite has been sacked from his post after he was caught on video torturing a suspected thief.
An envelope containing a CD was sent by a concerned citizen on Mon, May 18, to Cavite Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Jonnel Estomo.
The CD contained a video clip. It showed one man screaming in front of the Carmona police station lock-up cell.
The video showed Chief Insp. Jigger Noceda, Carmona police chief, armed with a large piece of wood and yelling at one man, whom he accused of stealing a cellphone.
Other police officers can be seen laughing.
In the video, Noceda strikes the man’s hands with a piece of wood and tries to force a confession from him.
Estomo said he summoned Noceda and told him to watch the video. He said the Carmona police chief did not say anything after watching it.
Carmona police said no charges were filed against the alleged cellphone thief.
The alleged theft incident was not even recorded in the police blotter.
Noceda has since been replaced by Chief Insp. Rey Ochavo.
The torture incident allegedly happened in January this year and it was secretly filmed from the Carmona police station’s barracks room.
The piece of wood that was used to hit the man was half an inch thick.
Names of police officers were painted on the piece of wood.
Noceda has been removed from the post while investigation is ongoing.
Aside from Noceda, two other police officers who were seen in the video have been summoned to explain why they did nothing while the alleged thief was being abused.
Investigators are also asking for a list of the names of all detainees and police station personnel on duty in January.
Noceda faces possible charges of grave misconduct and violating the Anti-Torture Act of 2009.
ABS-CBN News tried to get Noceda’s side but he declined to give a statement. —report from Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
