2 cops fight over road project

Two high ranking policemen are planning to swap charges against each other after figuring in a heated argument over the demolition of structures obstructing a road widening project along the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

Senior Superintendents Eduardo Orpilla and Filmore Balmaceda even sustained minor bruises on their arms and could have inflicted more injuries on each other had not cooler heads kept them apart after an exchange of invectives.

The disagreement between Orpilla, detailed at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, and Balmaceda, chief of the Traffic Sector in Quezon City, began around 10:30 a.m. in Barangay Commonwealth.

Balmaceda was supervising the implementation of the demolition when he met opposition upon reaching the structure located at 195 Commonwealth Avenue. Orpilla was said to be the owner of the structure.

The demolition team had partially bulldozed the structure when Orpilla arrived and questioned the destruction, demanding appropriate papers from Belmaceda, who in turn asserted that such documents are no longer needed since it has been widely known that the road in the area would be expanded.

Under the scorching heat, the two police offiicials lost their cool and an intense argument ensued.

Balmaceda tried to arrest Orpilla for obstructing the implementation of the government project . This only angered Orpilla even more. The spat between the two cops lasted until around noon. – Katherine Adraneda