MANILA, Philippines — A foreign national protesting the Makati policemen’s intrusion into his private property was tackled to the ground and was nearly arrested for alleged violations of quarantine rules.
Two videos — one from the property owner, and the other from the police — have circulated online following the incident.
In a video shared by the Joint Task Force CV Shield on Monday, the resident, identified as Javier Salvador Parra, could be seen having a heated argument with two police officers, one in a fatigue uniform, while the other was taking a video.
Parra, on the other hand, was seen naked from the waist up, and was not wearing a face mask, with his wife at his side.
“This is nonsense. You don’t need to come here and tell me lessons when I support 80 Filipino staff. I’m a decent citizen, I have to have my right to complain as a citizen,” he added.
He also admitted to having had a drink in his house before the police came, pointing out that he was within his property when he had done so, until the police came and “destroyed their peace.” He then proceeded to tell the policemen to “get the fuck out of his house.”
The policeman told him that Parra did not know what he was doing, to which Parra replied, “No. You also do not know what you are doing.”
“I have orders (to come) here. Just calm down. I don’t want to argue with you,” the unidentified policeman said, insisting that the foreigner agree to come to them to the police station.
“I don’t want to argue with you, kuya. What you’re doing now is illegal… you also have to be careful. Sorry if I have offended you, I’m just telling you. We also have rights as citizens,” Parra said.
“We are supporting people that has no income. You come to our house to tell us that our gardener was not wearing a face mask when there’s no fucking people. You should be in Tondo, in Manila, in the frontlines,” the foreign national added.
A separate video released by Parra’s wife circulated in social media earlier, showing that Parra is being tackled to the ground by the police and being arrested.
Parra’s wife could be heard telling the police to not hurt him as he has a life-threatening injury” on his back. The wife also confronted the police that they cannot arrest them in their house without a warrant.
“You cannot arrest somebody in our house! You have to have a warrant,” Parra’s wife said.
The policeman later on said that he will also arrest the wife.
The foreigner was only able to evade arrest when he went inside his house.
In an e-mail, Parra said he suffered physical injury and abrasions, and is under “immense pain” in the area of his spinal injury as a result of him getting pinned down to the ground by the policeman.
He revealed that the policemen came to his property after apprehending his female staff for not wearing a face mask even though she was merely watering plants in the front yard.
The policemen allegedly wanted sought a fine of P1,000.
Parra only faced the policemen to ask why they had fined him over the supposed violation.