PNP’s P7.8M Fiasco: The Scandalous Snaring of an Innocent Octogenarian

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — April 22, 2025

AN elderly man, 81 and wheelchair-bound, was dragged from his Zambales home because the PNP failed to spot the difference between a “Jr.” and a fugitive. This isn’t a dark comedy—it’s the infuriating saga of Prudencio Cebu Calubid Jr., nabbed in December 2024 for a crime he didn’t commit. The PNP’s “arrest now, think never” playbook is a masterclass in incompetence, and we’re here to slice it apart with legal precision and a razor-sharp tongue.

The Blunder That Broke the Scales: A Case of Mistaken Identity

On December 7, 2024, the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) stormed the Gordon Heights home of Prudencio Cebu Calubid Jr., an 81-year-old affectionately called “Pruding.” The warrant targeted “Prudencio Calubid,” a National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant who vanished in 2006, likely abducted by military forces.[^1]

Here’s the rub: Calubid Jr.’s name screams “Cebu Jr.,” and he’s been a Zambales fixture for over 50 years, backed by government IDs and records. Yet, the PNP shrugged off this evidence, dragging him from Camp Crame to Manila City Jail, where he’s been stuck ever since.

Why the rush? The real Prudencio Calubid has a P7.8-million bounty dangling over his head, making him a PNP most-wanted poster child. The family, with the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), smells a rat, alleging the PNP chased cash over truth.

“This isn’t a mix-up; it’s deliberate misrepresentation,” NUPL’s Julian Agpalo roared.^2

Calubid Jr.’s daughter, Setti, took to Meta, begging: “Is it the P7.8M bounty for my father’s namesake? He’s one of many mistaken identity victims in the Philippines!”[^3]

The PNP’s silence? Deafening.

Constitutional Catastrophes and Procedural Pile-Ups

The PNP’s gaffe isn’t just sloppy—it’s a legal apocalypse. Let’s tally the wreckage:

Constitutional Calamities

1987 Constitution, Art. III, Sec. 2: Warrants must pinpoint their target. “Prudencio Calubid” doesn’t match “Prudencio Cebu Calubid Jr.”—it’s like jailing Jane Doe for John Doe’s sins. Utterly unlawful.
Art. III, Sec. 1: Due process is non-negotiable. Locking up a wheelchair-bound senior despite ironclad IDs is a middle finger to fairness.

Procedural Pratfalls

Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 113, Sec. 1: Warrants demand specificity. The PNP’s failure to double-check Calubid Jr.’s identity before caging him flouts this rule.
The Supreme Court’s People v. Ansano (G.R. No. 232455, 2020) slams shoddy IDs.[^4]
RA 7438: Detainees deserve counsel and clear charges. Ignoring Calubid Jr.’s evidence suggests the PNP skipped this in their bounty-induced frenzy.

Ethical Evisceration

PNP Code of Conduct, RA 6713: Officers must embody integrity. Chasing a P7.8M payout while dismissing exculpatory evidence reeks of avarice, not honor. The PNP’s mute response screams guilt.

Battle Plan Bonanza: Legal Moves to Free Calubid Jr.

The family’s not twiddling thumbs—they’re armed with a legal arsenal. Here’s the war plan:

Emergency Strikes

Habeas Corpus Hail Mary (Filed April 2025): The family’s Court of Appeals (CA) petition demands Calubid Jr.’s release, citing his illegal detention. The CA better hustle—People v. Ansano trashes flimsy IDs.^5 If they stall, it’s Supreme Court time.
Mercy Plea for a Senior: Under RA 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act), Calubid Jr.’s gout, kidney woes, and wheelchair make a compelling case for release or hospital arrest. Medical records are ammo—file with the RTC.

Retribution Roadmap

Criminal Takedown: Nail CIDG officers for arbitrary detention under RPC Art. 124. Over 30 days of baseless jailing spikes the penalty to prision correccional. File with the Ombudsman or DOJ, wielding IDs and residency proof.
Cash for Cruelty: Sue for moral and exemplary damages under Civil Code Art. 2219. The trauma on an 81-year-old and his kin, plus PNP negligence, demands a fat check. File with RTC Olongapo or Manila.
Board of Claims Bounty (RA 7309): Post-release, claim P1,000/month for unjust detention. Five months in? That’s a start—file within six months of freedom.

Systemic Smackdown

Bounty Busting Blueprint: Demand PNP rules mandating ID checks before arrests. A “Calubid Law” bill could stop cops from playing bounty roulette with lives.

Tearing Into the Travesty: Bounty Mania and Judicial Jams

The P7.8M bounty is the neon sign flashing “motive” in this mess. A juicy reward, a fuzzy warrant, and suddenly an elderly man’s freedom is roadkill. This isn’t policing; it’s a high-stakes scavenger hunt where human rights get trampled.

The PNP’s ethical nosedive—ignoring RA 6713’s call for integrity—suggests they’d rather cash in than do right.

Then there’s the judiciary’s snail-paced shame. The habeas corpus petition, filed April 16, 2025, is still gathering dust as of April 20. Three months for an 81-year-old in a wheelchair? That’s not justice; it’s cruelty.

The CA’s dawdling spits on UNHRC ICCPR Art. 9’s ban on arbitrary detention. With 51 wrongful arrests on the PNP’s rap sheet, per the Philippine News Agency, this is a systemic sickness.[^6]

Rallying Cry: Strategies to Slay the Injustice

For Family and NUPL

Scream Louder: Amplify Setti’s Meta crusade with press blitzes and allies like Karapatan. Calubid Jr.’s health crisis—gout and jail are a deadly duo—needs headlines.
Ombudsman Offensive: Slam CIDG officers with a misconduct complaint. It’s quicker than criminal cases and could bench the culprits.

For Courts

CA, Get a Move On: Rule on habeas corpus before Calubid Jr.’s health collapses. Ansano and ICCPR Art. 9 scream urgency.
Raise the Bar: Use this case to mandate crystal-clear warrants, stopping PNP’s sloppy arrests dead.

For Lawmakers

Bounty Banishment Bill: Push a law requiring ID verification for bounty hunts. Name it “Calubid Law” to rub salt in the PNP’s wounds.
Juice Up Justice: Boost RA 7309 payouts—P1,000/month for stolen liberty is an insult.

Final Blow: Free Calubid Jr. or Shame the System

Prudencio Cebu Calubid Jr.’s plight is a blazing red flag: the PNP’s bounty lust and the courts’ lethargy are strangling justice. This 81-year-old deserves freedom, not a cell.

With cunning legal moves, public outrage, and a push for reform, Calubid Jr. can walk—or wheel—free, and the system might just get a wake-up call. Until then, this scandal proves one thing: in the Philippines, a P7.8M bounty can buy a lot of injustice.

Key Takeaways Infographic

Who: Prudencio Cebu Calubid Jr., 81, nabbed for NDFP’s Prudencio Calubid (missing since 2006).
What: Snared December 7, 2024, despite IDs proving he’s not the guy; rotting in Manila City Jail.
Why: PNP’s P7.8M bounty obsession trumped truth.

Legal Violations:

1987 Constitution, Art. III, Sec. 2: Sloppy warrant.
RA 7438: Detainee rights trashed.
RA 6713: PNP’s ethical bellyflop.

Remedies:

Habeas corpus (pending), mercy release, damages suit, criminal charges, RA 7309 claim.

Battle Cry:

Media blitz, Ombudsman smackdown, bounty reform law.

Footnotes

[^1]: Rappler, “Family asks court to free 81-year-old man ‘wrongfully’ arrested by PNP,” 2025.
[^3]: Bulatlat, “Daughter seeks court’s help for 81-year-old father mistakenly arrested as NPA leader,” April 17, 2025.
[^4]: People v. Ansano, G.R. No. 232455, 2020.
[^6]: Philippine News Agency, “Higher Pay for Unjust Arrest Victims,” 2024.

Disclaimer: This is legal jazz, not gospel. It’s all about interpretation, not absolutes. So, listen closely, but don’t take it as the final word.