COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 30 March) — The police director of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was arrested on Wednesday night for two counts of syndicated estafa.
Elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Regional Police Office-15 served two arrest warrants on BGen John Guguynon around 9:30 p.m. inside his office in Camp Salipada K. Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao del Norte in line with the CIDG’s Oplan Pagtutugis.
The warrant for the first syndicated estafa case was issued by Judge Catherine Pepsis Manodon of National Capital Judicial Region Branch 14 in Quezon City on December 1, 2022.
The second warrant, also for syndicated estafa was issued by Judge Kathleen Rorsario Dela-Cruz of the Regional Trial Court branch 91 in Quezon City.
The crime of syndicated estafa is non-bailable.
BGen Gil Francis Tria, the Director for Administration of the Police Regional Command will serve as the officer-in-charge.
Guyguyon was temporarily detained at his office and set to be transported to Quezon City on Thursday to face the charges.
In a statement sent via a text message, Guyguyon maintained his innocence. He said he didn’t see the need to defend himself but that he broke his silence to be fair to the Philippine National Police.
“Ayaw ko magsalita kasi di ko kelangan defend sarili ko sana kaso unfair din sa tropa ko and sa PNP (I don’t want to speak because there’s no need to defend myself but it would be unfair to my troops and the PNP),” he said.
Guyguyon said the cases stemmed from his involvement in a non-profit organization of which he became an incorporator way back in 2018.
He did not mention the name of the organization.
He said he agreed to get involved in that organization because he would not be receiving salaries or allowances.
He said he had forgotten about the organization when the pandemic happened, and later learned that it became involved in anomalies that implicated him.
He added that his conscience is clean. “I can face anyone and look him/her straight in the eye and say na pag pera usapan, di ako garapal jan (that when it comes to money, I’m not brazenly greedy).
“Sa dami ng project at natulungan natin. Di konkelangan yumaman masyado, di natin madala yan sa langit pag namatay na tayo. Ibigay natin sa mas nangangailangan (We have helped many projects. I don’t need to enrich myself so much, we can’t bring that to Heaven when we die. Let’s give it to those who need it more).” (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera/MindaNews)
