DAVAO CITY – A non-government organization said that the arresting officers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police “planted” the two identification cards for the arrest of a Lumad school teacher in Cebu City last month.
The Save Our Schools Network on Thursday, September 8 said the CIDG fabricated the IDs found in the possession of Amelia Pond, a teacher and researcher for the Salugpungan Learning Center.
The CIDG alleged that Pond is Adelfa Toledo, whom the police said is a member of the New People’s Army member. Allegedly found in Pond’s possession were two identification cards with bearing the said name.
Pond’s arrest was also based joint affidavits of a certain Alberto O. Egagamo, Jaymar Gonzaga and Andro Bansag.
“The CIDG charged her with fabricated cases of murder and frustrated murder but amended the warrants,” SOS said in a press release.
According to a copy of the warrant of arrest emailed to DavaoToday, it was intended for a certain “Alex” whose real name is said to be Danilo Rosete, a “Tasing” whose real name is Adelfa Toledo, and seven other John Does.
The name Adelfa Toledo has since been changed to Amelia Pond on official court documents following the court’s granting of the admission of Amended Information by the CIDG on August 31, 2016.
Atty. Manuel Quibod, Pond’s legal counsel, however, refuted the claims and said that the “state has arrested the wrong person.”
“It is injustice to Amelia since from the start she is not Adelfa Toledo, yet she was arrested without due process. It was clearly unlawful,” Quibod added.
SOS spokesperson Rius Valle said the CIDG and the court “are trying to cover up their mistake and justify the unlawful arrest of Pond by changing the name Adelfa Toledo to Amelia Pond.”
“It is an injustice to Amelia as it is injustice to the Lumad she devotedly served. She wasn’t even given a subpoena or any other notice from the court in the past to rightfully defend herself, yet she was arrested and is detained until now” Valle said.
Pond, who is also the regional coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) Southern Mindanao Region was arrested on August 19 over alleged charges of double murder and frustrated murder in Cebu City after attending an event of the RMP. (davaotoday.com)
