A tenant in Parañaque City, locked out of his apartment by an irate owner over unpaid rent, reached out to PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III for help after police officers refused to assist him in retrieving his personal belongings.
The tenant first approached a police sub-station to seek assistance in at least recovering his appliances and other personal valuables. He explained that it was the caretaker of the apartment who had failed to remit the rent to the owner.
However, police officers directed him to the barangay hall, stating that the matter was under barangay jurisdiction.
Barangay officials, however, refused to intervene, considering the owner’s actions a possible criminal offense.
Frustrated, the tenant then sent a message to Torre, who advised him to go back to the police station.
“I talked to the policemen on duty to tell them that if they think it was a barangay matter, then they must go with the complainant to the barangay—clear and simple,” said Torre.
“I don’t want any person seeking assistance to be sent away from the police station. Our policemen should always be there to help,” he added.
Since assuming office, Torre has emphasized the importance of responding to public complaints, particularly those concerning peace and order.
He stressed that police presence serves as a neutral force in resolving disputes, no matter how minor. In the case of the tenant and apartment owner, police intervention ultimately persuaded the owner to allow the tenant to retrieve his belongings.
“So that night, they separated ways under the auspices of the police. This means that it can be done, so let us do it,” said Torre.
Torre emphasized that seeking police help should not depend on personal connections. Instead, responding to all calls for assistance must be a standard operating procedure to build public trust in the PNP.
The act of failing to assist a person in need of police help, according to Torre, has a negative impact on the image of the PNP.
The police’s active response was what Torre had promised during his assumption speech.
“We will strengthen our partnerships with the public so that we can better understand local needs and respond to them with empathy and precision,” said Torre. (Aaron Recuenco)
