Philippines - THIRTEEN members of the Jesus Christ Followers (JCF) met with city police officials concerning the criminal charges filed against them at the City Prosecutor's Office in relation to last Friday's bloody raid at their school in Lerio St., Barangay Carmen.
City Police Director Senator Superintendent Honorio Cervantes along with Senator Inspector Francis Cariaga said the charges consist of direct assault, disobedience to the persons of authority, serious physical injury and obstruction of justice, among others.
Led by Emelinda Tiongco, the school administrator, Rhapsody, and Ra Dacudao, the group was escorted by fully armed uniformed policemen to the Hall of Justice for an inquest proceeding at the office of Prosecutor Lorimer Delima.
During the meeting Rhapsody Dacudao taunted police officials by saying she "can turn the whole building upside down."
The suspects who were handcuffed by pair were then subjected to a medical examination at the city health office.
Even in this tight situation, Rhapsody and companions still found time to shout invectives at their police escorts.
"We revolutionized this city by giving quality education to the children but what happened? We were being mauled by the police, we are victims of police brutality," Tiongco hollored in an American-British accent.
From the city health office, Tiongco's group were sent back to the Maharlika mini-cell pending transfer to Lumbia City Jail unless they could put up bail bonds for their temporary freedom while the case is being heard in court.
Meanwhile, 10 of the 14 high school students were ordered released from the custody of the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) after being found to have no direct knowledge of the incident.
Their parents were made to sign an agreement not to bring anymore their children to the same school.
Their names are being withheld since they are minors.
Scores of parents were bent on filing separate charges against the suspects.
They said they noticed adverse changes in their children's behavior ever since they started studying at the JCF school.
Several police officers were wounded after they were hit by hard objects such as wooden sticks, steel pipes and rocks used by JCF staff and students.
The fracas started when members of the JCF refused to follow a court order to release a 16-year-old student to the custody of her parents.
Rhapsody, who shook in anger that time when she was confronted by Cervantes group, tore to pieces the documents served to the school.
Cervantes said he is planning to have a talk with heads of the Department of Education (DepEd) concerning the situation of the students.