Taguig condo admin mulls charges vs cops who stormed compound

The management of the Pacific Plaza Towers (PPT) in Taguig City is mulling on taking legal action against a group of heavily armed police officials who stormed the condominium compound on Sunday afternoon amid the enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19.

The PPT management made the move in connection with police’s forced entry on their premises on Sunday afternoon when the police came in armed, apparently agitated and threatened to arrest the PPT property’s security and the residents who were by the garden.

“The actions of the Philippine National Police in entering Pacific Plaza Towers were extremely upsetting, clearly inappropriate and possibly illegal. We will not let this stand. Our legal counsel is already working on the appropriate action which we will immediately bring to court, or to whichever appropriate authority, possibly in the next two days,” the notice sent by the management to its residents said.

“These could include a restraining order against similar actions, a criminal complaint against the police personnel involved for in effect, threatening our residents in a very unseemly and agitated way and civil action for possible violations of our property and personal rights, including the police bullying their way into our private premises without some form of warrant or authorization, which would be trespassing,” the notice added.

Likewise, the management also denied the police’s claims that there were PPT residents who were not practicing social distancing guidelines, not wearing face masks, ignoring other quarantine restrictions on gathering together and that PPT had not shut down its open areas and facilities.

When the police barged into the PPT premises, the PPT management said that there were few residents in the garden area, all practicing proper social distancing, and none of them using the pool facilities and were just walking or sitting away from each other.

“Despite this, the armed policemen, and particularly the [Police] Major who did not wear a face mask accosted some of the residents there berated them loudly for not following the guidelines, and curtly shouted at them to go away,” the PPT management said.

The four policemen left Pacific Plaza Tower's premises at 4:38 p.m. after being told that their actions were totally unacceptable.

“To be clear, we have promptly complied with all the guidelines provided, including closing down our gym and our pool and practicing social distancing and the wearing of masks. When we had questions that needed clarification, we have properly sought alignment with the barangay,” the PPT notice pointed out.

The PPT management also pointed out that they recently informed the barangay that management intended to make its walkways inside the compound passable while increasing the level of supervision and policing for social distancing, and that the barangay agreed to this.

“Similarly, every person who leaves a unit without a mask or some form of face covering is reminded of the guideline to wear a face covering, and offered a mask immediately if he/she does not have one. These are all covered in various circulars from management and letters from me on behalf of the Board of Directors over the last several weeks,” the notice said.

“We feel that we have been fully compliant with and supportive of all the guidelines and restrictions that the public health crisis has necessitated. We have always been willing to talk, to do whatever else is determined to be right, and to act quickly and reasonably,” the PPT management added.

In closing, the PPT management assured its residents that it had attempted to seek assistance from Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano, but their attempts had been unsuccessful so far.

The PPT management, nevertheless, was able to touch base with Barangay Fort Bonifacio’s Jorge Bocobo, and Bocobo had assured them that their sentiments would reach the mayor for a better understanding of the situation. — DVM, GMA News