Taguig condo tenants decry police ‘presence’

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of a condominium in Taguig City cried foul over the alleged harassment by policemen inside their premises while implementing rules on enhanced community quarantine to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Bishop Joseph Castillo, an American citizen and leader of All Nations International Fellowship church, who is a resident of the Pacific Plaza Towers at Bonifacio Global City, posted on his Facebook page his complaint about the alleged overkill by policemen who barged into condominium premises Sunday.

“Philippine police unlawfully overran our security and forced their way into our community with guns on our private property today screaming at children of diplomats and foreign government dignitaries sitting with their families while waiving (sic) their guns telling them to go away to go in their units with no mask on themselves,” Castillo said.

He also posted a video clip showing a policeman wearing camouflage uniform, not wearing a face mask, seemingly holding something from his waistline and shouting at some residents at the swimming pool area where he was also staying at the time.

“Hindi kami tanga! Pumasok na kayo! Go back or I will arrest all of you! Just try to cooperate!” the policeman yelled.

Castillo said the action of the policemen was traumatizing for the children and showed exaggerated fear of COVID-19 but was also an unfortunate diplomatic overreach as many foreign diplomats reside at Pacific Plaza Towers.

In a statement, Pacific Plaza Towers board president Erwin Elechicon confirmed the presence of four policemen, led by Bonifacio Global City police community precinct commander Major Joseph Austria, saying that they “were in uniform, armed and apparently agitated,” and that they “threatened to arrest our security personnel” who tried to block them as they barged into the building at 4:25 p.m. last Sunday.

Elechicon said the police officers allegedly received reports that some of residents were not practicing social distancing guidelines, not wearing face masks, ignoring restrictions on gathering together, and that Pacific Plaza Towers had not shut down its public areas and facilities.

In their stay inside the building for around 13 minutes, they allegedly “accosted some of the residents there, berated them loudly for not following the guidelines, and curtly shouted at them to go away,” Elechicon added, referring to around eight residents who were staying at the pool area.

Elechicon noted that Austria “did not wear a face mask,” a violation of quarantine rules.

“Obviously, the actions of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in entering Pacific Plaza Towers were extremely upsetting, clearly inappropriate, and possibly illegal,” he asserted.

The condominium management warned of filing complaints against the cops.

It has also raised the issue to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Elechicon claimed.

He said they also tried to reach Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano, but has not received a response yet. They got in touch with Jorge Bocobo, chairman of Barangay Fort Bonifacio where the condominium is located.

Elechicon maintained that the Pacific Plaza Towers management complied with the rules on enhanced community quarantine like practice of physical distancing, wearing of face masks, and closing its swimming pool and gym.

For his part, Cayetano emphasized that quarantine rules in the city should be “strictly enforced,” seeking help from the city police and relevant departments of the city government. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Alexis Romero