MAJOR General Nicolas Torre III, director of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and nine of his subordinates are facing criminal charges for the alleged illegal detention of Rotchelle Calle, a 48-year-old businesswoman.
Calle alleges she was unlawfully detained for six days, from November 21st to 27, 2024, based on a purportedly photocopied Interpol red notice.
The charges, filed in March, include unlawful arrest and arbitrary detention. Torre and his subordinates failed to appear at preliminary investigations scheduled by the Makati prosecutor’s office on April 21 and 28.
Calle’s detention stemmed from a fraud case filed against her in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by her former business partner, Abdulmalek Alshihhim.
According to Calle, four CIDG officers initially visited her home on November 19, 2024, attempting to serve the Interpol notice. She claims they solicited a bribe, which she refused. Two days later, seven CIDG officers arrested her at Makati City Hall.
Calle reported enduring harsh conditions during her detention at CIDG headquarters and sought help from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).
The PAO’s Quezon City division, in a letter dated November 26, 2024, urged Torre to release Calle due to the lack of a court order or arrest warrant. Calle was released on November 27, 2024, after being taken to the Department of Justice to file a perjury case against Alshihhim, a case the fiscal deemed incomplete.
Before her release, Calle was made to sign an affidavit stating she surrendered to the police. The incident raises serious concerns regarding due process and potential abuse of power within the CIDG.
metrosundaily
