Gamboa on Taguig City condo incident: We will defend ourselves

MANILA, Philippines — “Go ahead. We will defend ourselves.”

This was the pronouncement made by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Archie Gamboa on Wednesday over the possible filing of charges against some police officers who allegedly trespassed into a gated condominium compound in Taguig City while enforcing the enhanced community quarantine.

In an interview with radio station DZMM, Gamboa explained that they only received a request from a condominium resident in Pacific Plaza Towers in Taguig to visit the condominium compound over social distancing complaints.

“Pero ‘pag may nag request ng assistance and then naabutan mismo doon, may personal knowledge ng pulis na mayroong nangyaring violation, right there and then pwede nang warrantless arrest e,” Gamboa said.

(If someone requests for assistance and we catch people committing violations, right there and then we can conduct a warrantless arrest.)

“Pero syempre maraming arguments (But of course there are arguments). They (Pacific Plaza Towers) are telling that they will charge my policemen. Go ahead. We will defend ourselves,” he added.

Foreigners of various nationalities who are residents of the condominium will reportedly lodge a complaint against the PNP through their respective diplomatic channels over the incident.

According to the residents, police officers even reportedly shouted at then and waved their guns at the condominium compound’s pool area. The police officers, according to residents, also allegedly threatened to arrest them if they will not return to their condominium units. 

“Pero kami naman sa kapulisan, hindi naman kami pumasok doon at may inaresto at nag-search kami. It’s an ordinary police response,” Gamboa said.

(Us in the police force, we did not enter the compound and arrested people or conducted search. It’s an ordinary police response.)

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said the government is also now investigating the said incident. 

/MUF