Management of Taguig condo to seek legal action vs cops who barged into compound

MANILA, Philippines (Update 1, 2:54 p.m.)  — The management of a high-end condominium in Taguig City said it will seek legal and civil actions against the policemen enforcing quarantine rules who allegedly barged into its premises and threatened residents “in a very unseemly and agitated way.”

The board of directors of the Pacific Plaza Towers (PPT) in Bonifacio Global City, in a letter to the condominium’s residents, condemned the presence of Philippine National Police personnel in the community as “extremely upsetting, clearly inappropriate and possibly illegal.”

Four members of the PNP entered the building’s premises past 4 p.m. Sunday to check the condominium’s compliance with quarantine guidelines after claiming to have received reports that some of the residents were not practicing physical distancing, not wearing face masks, ignoring restrictions on mass gathering and that PPT had not closed its open areas, its president Erwin Elechicon said.

The cops who were armed and “apparently agitated” threatened to arrest the security staff who attempted to prevent their entry.

Elechicon said the policemen led by Major Joseph Austria went to the back garden and pool area where about at least six residents—all practicing physical distancing—were walking or sitting away from each other, “taking in the afternoon sun.”

“Despite this, the armed policemen, and particularly the major (who did not wear a face mask) accosted some of the residents there (including a member of your board), berated them loudly for not following the guidelines and curtly shouted at them to go away,” the condominium’s president said.

In a video posted by one of the residents on Facebook, a cop can be heard saying: “You, go back! I’ll you (sic) arrest all of you. Can’t you understand the policy of our government? Don’t look at me like that, ah! Please try to cooperate.”

Legal, civil suits

In a statement, the Taguig City government said it has tapped the assistance of the police and other agencies in ensuring that quarantine rules are strictly enforced following reports that common areas in some subdivisions and residential buildings in the city are still open.

“This applies to both public and private establishments as this is for the general welfare of everyone. The ECQ rules and regulations apply equally to all communities,” it said.

Elechicon said the condominium’s management has complied with the guidelines, including shutting down the building’s gym and pool and practicing social distancing and the wearing of masks.

He added that PPT’s legal counsel is already working on the appropriate action, which could include restraining order against similar actions and a criminal complaint against the policemen involved. A civil action for possible violation of the residents’ property and personal rights may be also filed.

Foreigners who are residents of the building have also informed their embassies about the incident and “asked to flag this with the Philippine government contacts they have.”

“It is a disappointment, to say the least, that we should be treated in this way by our authorities. The ‘enemy’ is out there and it’s called COVID-19. It is certainly not us at the Pacific Plaza Towers, where we all feel that we are part of the same team, with the same objective—to remove the source of COVID-19 from our lives,” Elechicon said.

He added: “We do not deserve this; and we certainly should expect an explanation, an assurance of our safety, and due respect from our authorities.”

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque noted that under the constitution, the right of people to be secure in their houses shall be inviolable.

"It (right) cannot be violated without an order from the court," Roque said.

"So we will investigate that and comply with what is stated in the constitution," he added.

Roque said law enforcers cannot just enter private property if they are not invited, if they do not have a search warrant or if they do not know of any illegal activity happening inside the property. 

Abuses during Luzon-wide lockdown

As Philippine authorities impose drastic measures to arrest the spread of the novel coronavirus, there have been reports of abuses against quarantine violators.

Last month, curfew violators in Santa Cruz, Laguna were locked up in a dog cage, while quarantine violators of Barangay San Isidro in Parañaque were ordered to sit under the heat of the sun. A video online also showed a youth, presumably a curfew violator, can be seen lying inside a coffin.

A police official was also caught in an ABS-CBN News video last March hitting a resident of the Muslim Town compound in Quiapo, Manila with a stick while shouting expletives. The officer can be also heard on video saying people who leave their homes would be shot.

Early in April, 21 residents of Sitio San Roque in Quezon City were arrested after demanding food and financial aid during a protest. Accounts of the dispersal said that police violently hit the protesters.

United Nations human rights experts earlier said measures put in place to arrest the spread of the new coronavirus should not be used to suppress human rights.

“We encourage states to remain steadfast in maintaining a human rights-based approach to regulating this pandemic in order to facilitate the emergence of healthy societies with the rule of law and human rights protections,” they said in March. — Gaea Katreena Cabico with report from Alexis Romero 

Related Stories

LGUs have leeway in enforcing quarantine, but no license for cruel punishments

Taguig gov't reminds residents to observe quarantine rules after cops barge into condo