Muslim traders hit police harassment

A group of Muslim traders in the commercial section of the Port Area in Manila denounced yesterday the alleged harassment committed by certain Manila policemen, including a foiled attempt to snatch one of their members for trumped up charges last Sunday

Some 1,000 Muslim traders, mostly doing business at the Port Area Commercial Complex, will march to Manila City Hall this morning to seek an audience with Mayor Lito Atienza and expose the activities of unscrupulous operatives of the Manila Police District.

The traders decided to expose the harassment tactics after operatives of the MPD’s Detective Patrol Unit seized a yellow Isuzu Crosswind (XJG-153) belonging to Usman Macasalong, whom police tried to arrest on alleged drug charges.

Witnesses said Usman and his brother Ibrahim were about to park their vehicle at the Port Area Commercial Center past 5 p.m. when some four men in civilian clothes, claiming to be police operatives, tried to arrest the two.

The brothers were able to escape when other traders came to their rescue.

Usman’s wife Lailani and her sister Mica suffered slight injuries, claiming the policemen hit them when they tried to free the brothers.

"Di na sila naawa. Mga babae pa naman kami. There’s no justice here," Lailani said.

Witnesses said they also saw the officers planting shabu inside the vehicle.

Barangay 650 chairman Ibrahim Dimakuta said he will attest to the courts the good moral character of Usman, whom police claimed was a drug dealer.

"I’ve known Usman for several years now as a law abiding citizen, earning a living as a dealer of second-hand television sets," Dimakuta said.

Lailani said she received several calls in the last two days telling her to agree to a settlement for the return of their vehicle, which is impounded at the MPD grounds.

Detective Patrol Unit commander Chief Inspector Joveth Asayo denied the traders’ allegations and gave his version of the foiled arrest.

According to Asayo, two MPD policemen were at the Port Area Commercial Center to buy a second-hand television set when they observed two people allegedly exchanging money and a plastic sachet of suspected illegal drugs.

As the cops came to arrest them, Muslims in the area tried to rescue their colleagues, creating a commotion.

At this juncture, PO3 Jordan Villanueva of the Detective Patrol was passing by and assisted his two colleagues.

However, the traders came after them, creating an opportunity for the two suspects to escape. The suspects left behind their vehicle.

Asayo said recovered inside the van were some five plastic sachets of shabu weighing 30 grams and an identification card belonging to Usman.