PNP chief relieves ‘abusive’ cop in viral video

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde yesterday said he has relieved a policeman seen in a viral video verbally abusing a man who cut in front of him at an eatery in San Juan.

“Para po sa inyong kaalaman ipinatanggal ko na po sa puwesto ang pulis na nag-viral sa (For your information, I removed from his post a police officer who went viral in) San Juan,” Albayalde said in a Facebook post.

Sr. M/Sgt. Arnulfo Ardales has been reassigned from Police Community Precinct 3 in San Juan to the District Headquarters Support Unit of the Eastern Police District (EPD) while he is under investigation for misconduct, National Capital Region Police Office  director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said.

Eleazar added that he directed EPD chief Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan to present Ardales to investigators to give the lawman a chance to air his side.

According to initial reports, Ardales arrived in a police vehicle at a carinderia at the intersection of Aurora Boulevard and Lagmay street in Barangay Ermitaño at around 11 p.m. last Saturday, apparently to buy food.

The video showed that he accosted Aaron Estrada, 21, for allegedly disrespecting him by cutting in front of him.

Ardales hurled insults at Estrada and demanded to see his identification card as he threatened to arrest the call center agent for vagrancy.

The policeman left the store after Estrada apologized for his behavior.

Eleazar urged the public to help the PNP by providing information on rogue police officers.