ShareThisMANILA – A man who was charged in court of being an Abu Sayyaf terrorist has sued the Philippine National Police for over P470 million in damages, saying he was “wrongfully and maliciously detained.”
The complainant, Allan Almoite, invoked Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007 which provides that any form of torture or coercion in the investigation and interrogation of suspected terrorists and any state security officers is prohibited. Anyone found to have violated this provision will face imprisonment of up to 20 years.
The same law also states that any person accused of terrorism but is later acquitted is entitled to damages in the amount of P500,000 for each day that he has been detained. Almoite was under detention for at least two-and-a-half years.
Almoite was charged and tried before Valenzuela City Regional Trial Court following his arrest in 2006.
The court in October 2008 dismissed the charges against Almoite for insufficiency of evidence.