PPSC to file raps vs DILG over demolition

MANILA, Philippines - Officials and employees of the Philippine Public Safety College are set to file a string of cases against the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) after the agency allegedly implemented the demolition of the PPSC’s fences and the destruction of the access road even without conducting proper consultation with them.

Rogelio Asignado, PPSC vice president for administration, said that apart from the DILG, cases of grave coercion and violation of the anti-graft and corrupt practices law will also be filed against the National Police Commission, together with the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and a real estate developer before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Asignado said officials of these agencies allegedly instructed the the Southern Police District to destroy the access road to the school and its fences without showing a court order.

“The destruction of the roadway has been continuing,” he said. “They are bent on booting the PPSC out of the compound even though no proper relocation site for its employees and students has been set aside.”

Based on initial talks between PPSC, Napolcom and DILG, the PPSC – which is located along Lawton street in Fort Bonifacio – will be relocated to the PET Towers in Guadalupe, Makati.

The training facilities will be moved to the DILG’s Local Government Academy in Los Baños, Laguna.

However PPSC officials said the portion reserved for them in PET Towers has already been condemned and the area in Los Baños, where the training facilities will be moved, is not for the school’s exclusive use.

Asignado said they were not properly informed that PPSC will be relocated, and that the 7.1-hectare land in Fort Bonifacio would be developed into a commercial area. “We only learned of the joint-venture agreement between the said agencies last November,” he said.

Located in the PPSC compound are the National Police College (NPC) and National Forensic Science Training Institute (NFSTI) where policemen, and fire and jail management personnel undergo training. The PPSC has around 200 employees and 900 students.

Asignado said around 100 policemen arrived at the scene early morning yesterday to escort and assist the demolition team.

“They even brought PPSC Employees Association president Nick Pascual and PPSC Employees Association spokesperson Pacifico Talplacido to the Taguig police station,” he said.

Asignado said they are consulting their lawyer on the specific legal action they would take against the agencies and developer.

“In the first place, they should have first consulted us and made us part of the joint-venture agreement since we are the ones to be affected,” he said.   – Rhodina Villanueva