University of the Philippines. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Police Director General Oscar Albayalde explained on Monday the “misunderstanding” when three policemen went to the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman, Quezon City, on September 12.
According to Albayalde, the lawmen went to the school not to arrest or intimidate anyone. PNP Spokesperson Police Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. said that they were searching for student-trainees who might help improve an existing museum inside Camp Crame.
UP President Danilo Concepcion earlier wrote Albayalde and questioned the presence of policemen on campus. The school official said the UP community was “deeply alarmed” by the “intrusion.”
READ: Police presence spooks UP Diliman campus
“There was only some sort of misunderstanding doon dahil ‘yung pagpunta naman ng PCRG (Police Community Relations Group) ay for invitation na napakaganda. It’s not to arrest and not to intimidate anybody,” Albayalde said in a press briefing.
(It was only a misunderstanding because the PCRG visit was for handing an invitation, which is a good thing. It’s not to arrest and not to intimidate anybody.)
Saying that the PNP recognizes the autonomy of UP, Albayalde said the policemen might not have been aware that they should first coordinate with school authorities before going to the campus.
He called on the public to not give the visit a malicious interpretation, saying the officers had “good intentions.”
“Sana kung hinarass nila, eh hindi naman sila hinarass, kung nang-aresto sila, eh hindi naman sila nang-aresto,” he said.
([Give it that interpretation] if they harassed anyone or arrested someone, which they did not.) /cbb