QCPD to sue demonstrators who allegedly ‘mauled and robbed‘ cop

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) will file criminal complaints against members of progressive groups who allegedly “mauled and robbed” a police officer during an “illegal demonstration” staged on Friday at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) compound at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the QCPD Public Information Office identified the group members Kara Levina Taggaoa, leader of the League of Filipino Students; Larry Balbuena, president of Pasada Piston; and other leaders of Bayanmuna Partylist, Anakpawis, Sanka, Save our School Network and Kabataan Partylist.

Also included was Bryan Gonzales, tagged as a member of  Karapatan. But Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of Karapatan, said in a text message that Gonzales was not a member of the group.

According to the QCPD, about 150 protesters from different progressive groups participated in the CHR demonstration.

Five members of the QCPD District Special Operations Unit were deployed to oversee the protest.

According to the QCPD statement, the police officers were allegedly approached by the demonstrators, who then “dragged and grabbed” one of the officers, identified as 46-year-old Chief Master Sgt. Feliciano Evangelio, and got his rifle with a magazine containing several rounds of ammunition, wallet, wristwatch and cellphone.

Members of the UP police force intervened and brought the police officers and some of the demonstrators to their station for investigation. They turned over Evangelio the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU).

The CIDU will file complaints of robbery, physical injury, direct assault, grave coercion, illegal assembly, and violation of mandatory reporting of notifiable diseases the demonstrators.

Meanwhile, the QCPD chief, Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo condemned the act of the demonstrators, saying they it was “uncalled for especially that our policemen are there to maintain peace and order considering that their assembly is illegal.”

/atm