Cops raid QC nightclubs

Hours after President Arroyo barred police officers from entering night spots and bars, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane personally led an "inspection" of two popular nightclubs in Quezon City the other night.

Ebdane said the inspection of the Classmate nightclub and the Mystique KTV bar along Quezon Avenue should serve as warning to cops who use the clubs as hangouts.

Ebdane was accompanied by other top police officials, including Metro police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco, Directorate for Operations chief Director Enrique Galang, acting chief of the Directorial Staff and concurrent community relations chief Director Ricardo de Leon, and PNP comptroller Chief Superintendent Oscar Calderon.

Ebdane’s team arrived in full force with a convoy of mobile patrol cars, including members of the Quezon City SWAT team and the Special Action Force, all of them brandishing M-16 and Baby Armalite rifles.

The team swooped down on the two nightclubs, but found almost empty lounges with only a handful clients.

At Classmate, a big videoke screen at the lounge was showing classical music video of a violin artist and a pianist, and not the footage of sexy women clad in provocative attire.

Ebdane said the raids may have given the clubs undue publicity, but it will surely shoo away regular clients from the police force.

"Mukhang mali itong ginagawa. Lalong sisikat. Pero matatakot na pumunta dito ang mga pulis," the PNP chief said.

At Mystique, the police found several bottles of liquor bearing the name and rank of clients. Among the labels found were that of Col. Vero, Col. Ruiz, Col. Sosa, Capt. Popoy, Capt. Taniel, Capt. Reyes, Sgt. Caballos, Sgt. Samson and Sgt. Dinna.

The said police officials would be subjected to investigation and surveillance, Ebdane said.