MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Archie Gamboa on Tuesday said “enough force was applied” by a police officer involved in a recent scuffle with a Spanish citizen, who reportedly violated quarantine rules inside a posh exclusive village in Makati City.
Following the online meeting of the House’s Defeat COVID-19 Committee (DCC) Peace and Order Cluster, Gamboa was asked if the force used by the police on Spanish expatriate Javier Salvador Parra was “justified” despite his pre-existing spinal injury.
Gamboa cited the Parra’s “bulky” built to defend the actions of Police Senior Master Sergeant Roland Von M. Madrona.
“Nakita ‘nyo naman siguro, your honors, kung gaano kalaki ‘yung foreigner compared sa policeman (You saw how big the foreigner is compared to the policeman),” Gamboa said.
“Pero nakita ‘nyo naman he was able to subdue the suspect pero medyo nahirapan siya. So based on the video, it is very clear that enough force was applied,” added the PNP chief.
(But you saw that the policeman was able to subdue the suspect despite struggling. Based on the video, it is very clear that enough force was applied.)
In a statement sent to the media, Parra said his house staff was watering plants in his front yard on Sunday when a barangay personnel saw her not wearing a face mask.
The foreigner added that a policeman, later identified as Madrona, then came and wanted to fine him P1,000 for the supposed violation of his house helper.
However, in a report, the Makati City police said that Parra’s house staff was “outside perimeter property” when the incident happened.
“I told him frankly that a fine isn’t necessary as it occurred on private property. It escalated with the policeman charging at me and trespassing my private property without a valid search warrant and wanting to arrest me for no valid reason,” Parra said.
Parra said he was feeling “immense” physical pain following the scuffle due to a pre-existing spinal injury.
Meanwhile, the Makati City police filed a complaint against Parra for direct assault, resistance and disobedience to a person in authority under Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code, violation of Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, and violating the city ordinance for not wearing a face mask.