MANILA, Philippines — The head of Quezon City’s Task Force Disiplina (QCTFD) had taken command responsibility and apologized for the actions of his men caught beating and dragging fish vendor Michael Rubuia along Panay Avenue for failing to wear a face mask on Tuesday.
In an emergency meeting with the task force on Wednesday, QCTFD action officer and Councilor Rannie Ludovica said he had already recommended the suspension of the officers involved in the violent incident.
But he said they would follow the recommendation of the city’s legal affairs department after its investigation on the matter.
“Mabigat na aral ‘yan pero may mabigat na resulta sa bawat isa sa atin. Ang kapangyarihang binigay sa inyo, may katumbas na responsibilidad yan. And yung responsibilidad na yan, yan ang pananagutan namin,” Ludovica told his personnel.
(A big lesson for us but the incident had consequences for each one of us. The power given to you had a big responsibility. And we will not run away from that responsibility.)
“Sakripisyo na natin ‘yung ego and pride natin. ‘Di kabawasan ng pride natin ang pag-unawa.”
(Let’s do away with our ego and pride. Understanding does not diminish our pride.)
In an interview with CNN, Ludovica apologized over the incident.
“Humihingi din ako ng paumanhin. ‘Yung pagkakamali ng tao ko ay hindi namin ito-tolerate ito at ayaw namin masundan pa ‘yung pagkakamaling ito at magiging aral na ho ito sa tao namin,” Rannie Ludovica told CNN Philippines in an interview when asked about updates on the vendor.
(I would also like to apologize. The lapses of my men will not be tolerated and we don’t want this mistake to happen again, and let this serve as a lesson to our enforcers.)
Ludovica added he ordered a 60-day suspension against the involved enforcers.
“More than six or seven times hinampas. ‘Yun dun nakita namin na may pagkakamali ‘yung enforcer namin,” he said.
(The victim was hit for more than six or seven times. That was the lapses of our enforcers.)
“‘Yung enforcer namin mag-undergo ng suspension for 60 days pending po ‘yung investigation,” he also said.
(Our enforcer will undergo suspension for 60 days while the investigation is pending.)
On Monday, at least five men from the task force were caught on video violently arresting, beating with a stick, and dragging Rubuia, 38, for selling fish near a condominium along Panay Avenue in Barangay South Triangle without a quarantine pass and face mask.
But Ludovica said the use of the stick was a form of “reasonable force” against violators who refused to follow authorities.
Rubuia, who sustained several wounds and abrasions from the incident, was brought by barangay officials to the Quezon City General Hospital.
He is now detained at the Kamuning Police Station with charges of resistance and disobedience to persons of authority.
The Quezon City government said it has ordered a full-blown investigation on the matter, as it ordered its personnel to “observe compassion and tolerance” in enforcing enhanced community quarantine protocols.
It said any person found to have acted unlawfully or improperly on the incident will face charges.
“The city government shall never condone any acts of violence or violation of human rights, regardless of reason or justification, especially when committed by an official or employee of the city government or any of the city’s barangays,” the local government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Rights groups air concern on abusive behavior
Human rights groups strongly condemned the “atrocious behavior” of QC task force personnel against the vendor and also warned against “the growing pattern of abusive behavior among security forces.”
“We call on Mayor Joy Belmonte to thoroughly investigate this incident and punish those found to have used excessive force. We also demand that the Oplan Task Force Disiplina issue a public apology to Michael Rubuia and foot the bill for all his medical expenses,” said Josua Mata, secretary-general of labor rights group Sentro.
“To prevent more abuses, we also call on all LGUs to train their security forces on how to properly handle quarantine violations,” he added.
Karapatan also slammed the government for “threatening critics and ordinary folks with criminal charges” instead of addressing their legitimate demands.
“While letting the regime’s ‘pasaway’ allies easily get off the hook for violating quarantine measures and other laws, the poor suffer the brunt of the government’s militarist response to the pandemic through violent arrests and even torture on top of the lack of adequate government relief and the loss of their livelihoods,” it said in a statement.
Positive for drugs
Meanwhile, Ludovica revealed in the CNN interview that Rubuia tested positive for illegal drugs.
“Pina-drug test ko po. May drug test kami, ‘yun ho nagpositive ‘yung tao. (We had him undergo a drug test, and he tested positive for drugs.),” he said.
“Nung nag-positive kami. Kinuha namin ng profile. Sabi niya (vendor) wala siyang hanapbuhay walang permanent address,” he added.
(When he tested positive, we looked into his profile. He said he is jobless and has no permanent address.)