Jade Castro. Image: Facebook/Jade Castro
The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI), along with other non-government organizations, appealed for the release of embattled filmmaker Jade Castro after he and three other companions were arrested over suspected arson in Quezon Province.
On Feb. 1, Castro, civil engineers Noel Mariano and Dominic Ramos, and sales manager Ernesto Orcine were arrested by authorities after they were accused of allegedly burning down a jeepney in Catanauan, Quezon Province.
The four men, who were supposed to stay in Mi Casa Resort for a getaway, were apprehended without any warrant after they accused them of burning a modern jeepney owned by the Gumaca Transport Service Cooperative to the ground. The allegations was based on the claims of witnesses who said that the suspects wore bonnets prior to the incidentn.
One Carl Villanueva, who was said to be the driver, was forced to get out of the vehicle along with its passengers, per reports from TV Patrol.
On Facebook, the DGPI called for the release of Castro and his other companions in a statement on Saturday, Feb. 3, saying the filmmaker asserted that he was merely on vacation with his friends when the incident took place.
“Castro declared his innocence and stated he was on vacation with friends when personalities of the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested them for a crime that occurred in Catanauan, Quezon,” its statement read.
“In a later tweet, Castro shared more disturbing information: the arrest was warrantless. Jade Castro is a vetted DGPI member and an important voice of the Philippine Independent Cinema,” said DGPI. “We stand by his innocence and testify to his good character. We urge clarity on the matter from the authorities involved, and the immediate release of Jade Castro from detention.”
Other non-government organizations such as the UP Film Institute, Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo (SAKA), DAKILA, and PEN Philippines urged authorities to act upon Castro’s release.
On his X (formerly Twitter) page, Castro asserted he and his friends were innocent and were arrested while on vacation in Quezon Province.
“Inosente kami! nagbabakasyon lang kaming magkakaibigan sa Mulanay, Quezon pero inaresto kami sa krimen na nangyari sa Catanauan,” he said. “Guys sorry di maka reply bawal celphone. Opo warrantless arrest arson.”
(We’re innocent! My friends and I were on vacation in Mulanay, Quezon but we were arrested for a crime in Catanauan. Guys sorry, I couldn’t reply to your messages before phones are not allowed. Yes, a warrantless arrest arson.)
INOSENTE KAMI! nagbabakasyon lang kaming magkakaibigan sa mulanay quezon pero inaresto kami sa krimen na nangyari sa catanauan https://t.co/Sjqo4cXe2D
— jade francis castro (@castrojade) February 2, 2024
Guys sorry di maka reply bawal celphone. Opo warrantless arrest arson
— jade francis castro (@castrojade) February 2, 2024
Per reports, Castro and his companions were detained at the Catanauan Municipal Police Station last Feb. 1. The complaint for arson was then filed against them a day later, although PNP Quezon director Ledon Monte said investigators are yet to determine the intention behind the alleged burning of the modern jeep.
The filmmaker and his other companions are still detained in the local municipal police, as of this writing.