Pregnant woman posts altercation with motorist in cop clothes

A pregnant woman complained on a social media post that a motorist wearing a police-officer's shirt and cap allegedly harassed her in Taguig City, GMA 7 news program "24 Oras" reported on Thursday.

In her Facebook post, "Tina" recounted that on Wednesday evening, her vehicle was about to cross Bonifacio Avenue at the McKinley parkway when the jeep in front of them suddenly stopped, forcing them to suddenly hit the breaks as well.

A white SUV, which was festooned with police stickers, then drove up to them so suddenly that she thought they were going be rammed on passenger side.

"This white Toyota Fortuner wanting to turn right to McKinley parkway from Bonifacio Avenue, forced his vehicle towards us to point that I (on the passenger side) was surprised because his bumper was already just about an inch away from us," Tina said.

"He was actually trying to ram us, his bumper just a few inch or an inch probably away from us. Akala ko I was going to go into labor, sumikip 'yung dibdib ko, sumakit 'yung batok ko, akala ko manganganak na ko," she added.

"[The SUV's driver] stopped and then we stopped, then we put down our window. We shouted at him that 'Anong problema mo?' And then he said, 'You ran a red light, gusto mo dalhin ko kayo sa presinto.' He had an American accent, that gave it away," Tina said.

She said that the SUV driver was wearing a police-officer's shirt and cap, and had heavily tattooed arms.

"He was displaying power, obviously, I don't think it is appropriate for him to say that he will bring us to the precinct. He should explain the things that were displayed on his car," Tina argued.

National Capital Region Police Office Director Oscar Albayalde said that they had started an investigation on the incident as they obtained the plate number of the Toyota Fortuner.

"[T]itingnan natin kung pulis 'yan o pulis character. Kasi, seemingly, ang sabi nung nagsumbong, para siyang slang magsalita at puro tattoo 'yung kanyang kamay. Walang pulis na puro tattoo kasi bawal sa amin ang may tattoo," Albayalde explained.

If it turns out that the SUV driver was not a police officer, he could be charged with usurpation of authority.

"We can verify bakit siya ganyan, usurpation of authority... naka-cap siya na pulis, bawal yan tapos nakatshirt siya na pulis," Albayalde said. — Anna Felicia Bajo/DVM, GMA News