PNP to investigate NCRPO’s alleged harassment vs. Taguig family

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa on Monday said the confrontation between National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) cops, led by Police Major General Debold Sinas, and a family residing in an old police compound in Taguig City, would be probed.

At a virtual press briefing, Gamboa said he had already talked to Sinas about the incident.

"We will investigate paano nila kinarry out 'yung order na ito. Of course, alam naman natin na ang video would speak a thousand words that's why we will investigate what happened during that confrontation," Gamboa said.

The video of the incident has since gone viral.

The family of a certain Arles delos Santos denounced the alleged harassment of Sinas and his men who supposedly tried to evict them from the old Regional Direct Support Unit compound along Lawton Avenue, which is being eyed to be used as a quarantine facility.

Arles, the son of Arnel delos Santos who is a former Police Executive Master Sergeant, said a "battalion" of cops arrived at their house and started to dismantle their gate last July 18.

It is also shown in the video that a policeman supposedly tried to snatch the phone of the individual who was trying to document the incident. Gamboa said the cop's action would also be looked into.

"As to the details kung bakit maraming pulis ang kasama ni RD Sinas and itong sa cellphone-taking ng tao, we will investigate it and find out why these things happened," Gamboa said.

Gamboa mentioned that it is his order for regional offices to identify areas that could be utilized as isolation facilities in this time of COVID-19 pandemic.

"Ako mismo ang nag-mandate na lahat ng regional offices, even provincial offices, are encouraged to come up with quarantine facilities," Gamboa said.

The elder Delos Santos brought his entire family to live with him at the said motor pool quarters, according to the NCRPO. Arles stayed in the compound even after his father had retired from police service in November 2018.

Security forces have claimed that the older Delos Santos is an illegal occupant of the motor pool building next to the RDSU building so they barricaded the parking area to keep them out.

However, the Delos Santos' camp insisted that it has papers to prove that it is legal for them to stay there and that it wants to engage in a peaceful dialogue with the police but the latter kept on shouting at them.

"Ipinakita namin ng kapatid ko 'yung papeles namin dahil may pirma siya doon mismo na walang papeles ang PNP para gumamit ng lupa na 'to.  Samantalang kami, kumpleto ng kopya ng titulo, certificate of occupancy at S.P.A. mula mismo sa may-ari," Arles said in a Facebook post.

"Halos araw-araw mayroong mga pulis na pumupunta sa bahay namin at pinapaalis kami at walang SOP o papel man lang na maiprisinta," he added. "Nakikipag-usap kami nang maayos pero gumagamit kayo ng dahas. May trauma na mga kapatid ko sa nangyayari dito sa amin."

'Owned by SPD'

For its part, the NCRPO said the RDSU building and the motor pool building and parking garage are inside a lot owned by the Southern Police District contrary to the claim of the family that it is owned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

"The use of the area consisting of several hectares was covered with a memorandum of agreement between the Southern Sector and the Philippine Navy and is still valid and being honored by the Philippine Navy and the AFP until today for the exclusive use of Southern Police District and NCRPO," the NCRPO said.

The PNP chief also echoed that the said compound is a property of the police organization.

"This is a lot owned by the Philippine National Police and I'm sure na madami ng notices given to them to vacate because 'yun nga, retired na 'yung kanilang ama..." Gamboa said. — RSJ, GMA News