Metro Manila police chief Brig. Gen. Anthony A. Aberin ordered on Tuesday, Feb. 8, the relief of nine policemen tagged in the viral video of a raid on a house in Taguig City.
Aberin said all of those involved were already sacked from their posts, including the immediate supervisor, after allegations of abuses and the absence of a search warrant when the operation was conducted.
“A comprehensive but swift investigation is ongoing to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the case, identify police personnel who abused their authority, police procedures violated and to institute more effective measures to avoid these kinds of incidents in the future,” said Aberin.
“We reiterate: the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) does not and will not tolerate any misconduct or abuse of power by any member of the police force. Strict adherence to the police procedures and observance of the rule of law are non-negotiable and any transgression will be dealt with severely,” he added.
In the viral video, policemen were seen entering a house in Taguig City on Feb. 9 and manhandling some of the occupants.
In the same video, there was an allegation that the CCTVs installed in the houses were being destroyed and that the policemen have been doing the warrantless raids on a weekly basis.
Aberin said the relief of the nine Taguig City personnel was aimed at ensuring an impartial investigation into the incident.
He added that the firearms of the personnel involved in the operations were also deposited to their unit assignments.
HARROWING EXPERIENCE
Meanwhile, the woman who was seen in a CCTV footage being shoved by a Taguig policeman narrated her harrowing experience.
She accused the policemen of taking money from her store, room, and e-wallet account.
A cop also showed the woman a document, which she said was a warrant of arrest but it did not have the signature of a judge.
“May warrant ka, may warrant ka. Bakit ganyan ang warrant ninyo walang pirma ng judge?,” the mother said, News5’s “Frontline Pilipinas” reported.
She said she was dragged into a police car.
“Naging hysterical na po ako. Talagang pilit nila akong pinoposasan,” she added.
She said when the cops saw the CCTV camera, they took it.
According to the woman, she and her son agreed to go with the police to the Barangay Napindan hall. Her daughter also went with them.
But when the police car did not go to the barangay hall, she jumped from the police car. Another video showed her jumping from the vehicle and going inside the barangay hall.
“Aba nakita ko nilagpas na ho sa barangay. Hindi totoong barangay. Tumalon po ako,” she said. Her daughter also jumped from the police vehicle.
Personnel from the barangay took them to a hospital.
The mother said the police apologized to her and said they committed a mistake in their operation. The police returned her belongings but not her money, she said.
She fears that the police officers involved might retaliate against her family. (Aaron Recuenco, Jonathan Hicap)
