PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – Two officers from the Puerto Vallarta Transit and Highway police, identified as Mónica Daniela “N” and José Manuel “N”, have been arrested and charged, after allegations of abuse of power and crimes committed in the administration of justice and other branches of public power came to light. The officers have also been suspended from their positions for six months while their legal situation moves through the justice system.
On June 8, the initial hearing was held in the Eighth Judicial District courts based in Puerto Vallarta. Presiding Judge Miguel García Hernández decided to charge both officers of the Transit and Road Subdivision. This decision stemmed from an investigation carried out by the Regional Agency of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
Both officers have been charged with the abuse of authority. They allegedly committed acts that violated the human rights guaranteed by the political constitutions of Mexico and Jalisco, inflicting harm upon a victim. Furthermore, they are accused of committing crimes in the administration of justice and other branches of public power. These charges relate to performing acts or incurring in omissions that caused damage or granted undue advantages to those involved in a business, as well as procuring impunity for crimes or misdemeanors they were aware of in their professional capacity and either failed to report them or hindered their investigation.
The case dates back to November of the previous year, when a municipal highway police officer was physically attacked by a man and a woman during an operation in the Coapinole neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta. Officers Mónica Daniela “N” and José Manuel “N”, who were also participating in the operation, intervened to assist their colleague.
The attacked officer requested her colleagues to secure command and conduction from the state Public Ministry (MP) for pursuing criminal proceedings against her attackers, as she planned to obtain a medical report on her injuries from the Municipal Medical Services.
However, the accused officers reportedly did not disclose to the MP that they had detainees in their custody. They only reported the incident and were instructed on how to complete the report. The two alleged attackers were then presented before a municipal judge for an administrative offense.
When the victim’s injuries were evaluated at the Municipal Medical Services, it was determined that the injuries would take over 15 days to heal. Yet, by this time, her alleged attackers had already been released. The victim subsequently filed a complaint, which was integrated by the Regional Agency of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in Combating Corruption of Puerto Vallarta.
Upon hearing the case and examining the evidence, Judge Miguel García Hernández determined there were sufficient grounds to link the officers to the process. As a precautionary measure, the judge has ordered the officers to regularly report to the court, banned them from leaving the country, prohibited them from approaching or bothering the victim, and ordered their temporary suspension from duty, all effective for a period of six months.
