Man tortured by cops into murder confession freed

MANILA, Philippines — A man allegedly tortured by police into confessing that he killed two people in Barangay Bangkulasi, Navotas in November last year has been released from detention.

In a seven-page resolution dated Dec. 22, 2025 and obtained by The STAR, the Navotas Regional Trial Court Branch 286 granted the motion to quash filed by the suspect, known only as Michael, after the RTC determined that his arrest by police was unlawful.

In dismissing the murder cases, Navotas RTC Branch 286 Judge Pedro Dabu Jr. ruled that the police officers who arrested Michael had no personal knowledge that he was among the two suspects who shot dead Orlando Go and Ronald Tabelin on Nov. 3, 2025.

The court noted that Michael was arrested in Barangay Longos, Malabon on Nov. 8, 2025 or five days after the shooting, which showed the policemen “did not have personal knowledge of any circumstance indicating” he had committed a crime and therefore he could not be apprehended by virtue of a warrantless arrest.

The police officers who nabbed Michael were named in the court document only as Cpl. Salanap, S/Sgt. Galicia and Pat. Silverio.

The court, in a subsequent order dated Jan. 9, denied the motion for reconsideration filed by prosecutors and ordered Michael’s release from the Navotas City Jail.

The suspects were gone when police arrived at the scene. They reviewed closed-circuit television footage and saw the assailants leaving on a motorcycle.

A backtracking investigation led to a house in Barangay Longos where police saw a motorcycle allegedly owned by Michael.

Police claimed that Michael volunteered to go with them for questioning.

But Michael said he and another suspect were beaten up inside the Navotas police station and forced to execute extrajudicial confessions admitting their involvement in the murder.

Nine police officers were sacked from their posts after Michael’s lawyer, Cid Andeza, filed administrative complaints against them before the Internal Affairs Service.