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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 26) – Two policemen in Quezon City were found guilty of illegally arresting a woman in 2019 and searching her home without a warrant, the local government announced.
In a statement Friday, the city’s public information office revealed that the People’s Law Enforcement Board, a police disciplinary authority, slapped Troopers Zaldy Mejos, Jr. and Julie Boison with a demotion of one rank.
The administrative case arose from the complaint filed by one Marissa Torres, who said that Mejos and Boison searched her home and arrested her without the corresponding court orders on January 19, 2019.
The police officers said they were only acting on the basis of a report that Torres had a weapon and that, invoking the “naked eye doctrine”, they entered his home when they saw the muzzle of a suspicious firearm in a black bag inside the Torres sari-sari shop.
Police said they found a weapon and illegal drugs, but Torres said they were planted.
Quezon City PLEB District 1 sided with the complainant.
Torres was “illegally and illegally arrested and her residence registered without a warrant,” the city government statement read, citing the PLEB’s decision.
“[The] The naked eye doctrine applies when the discovery of evidence is inadvertent, ”he added, saying that police officers cannot use this to justify their warrantless search.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte asked her fellow local chief executives to ensure that their respective PLEBs are organized to punish errant police officers.
Meanwhile, Quezon City PLEB Executive Director Rafael Calinisan said lawmakers should work to amend Republic Law No. 9708 to prohibit the promotion of police officers who have administrative cases pending with the board.
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