Man Mistakenly Jailed During Police Clearance Application
BACOOR – A man named Marlon Engguera, who only intended to obtain a police clearance, was wrongfully jailed for eight days due to a case of mistaken identity.
On April 28, Marlon went to the Bacoor City Police Station to secure a police clearance as part of his job application requirements. However, he was arrested on the spot after the police flagged a “hit” in their records—a person with the same name and address from Pasig City with an outstanding 2016 arrest warrant for a case of slight physical injuries. One of the arresting officers was identified as Police Officer Kenneth Yao.
Despite Marlon’s repeated explanations that he was not the suspect and that he had never been involved in any altercation, the police allegedly ignored his claims and proceeded to detain him. He remained in jail for eight days until his family obtained an updated 2017 arrest warrant, which proved his innocence. The suspect listed in the warrant had a different middle initial and birthdate.
Senator Raffy Tulfo personally contacted Bacoor Police Chief PLTCOL. John Paolo Carracedo to question how the case was handled. However, Carracedo defended his officers, claiming they verified Marlon’s ID and believed it matched the warrant. This response angered Tulfo, who emphasized that the police should have verified the suspect’s identity with the issuing court before making an arrest.
Sen. Tulfo also reached out to PBGen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, the PRO CALABARZON Regional Director, and grew more frustrated when Lucas sided with Carracedo’s explanation. Tulfo demanded a full investigation and ordered a formal report to be submitted to his office the following week.
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Commissioner Beda Epres confirmed that the police showed clear negligence, which could justify administrative charges. He also advised Marlon to file a compensation claim with the DOJ Board of Claims. RTIA committed to assisting Marlon during his visit to the CHR on Monday to process the necessary documents and provide further support.
Senator Tulfo also vowed to continue pushing for Senate hearings to investigate recurring police lapses and improve training to prevent wrongful arrests in the future.