Sanctions vs cops in Parañaque raid stay as solons express frustration

Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop during one of the House hearings in this photo taken on May 17, 2023. (Photo from a video posted on the Facebook page of the House of Representatives)

MANILA, Philippines — The contempt order and detention of police officers involved in the alleged illegal arrest of Chinese nationals in Parañaque City remain as lawmakers grow frustrated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) non-compliance with an order to submit documents.

At the hearing of the House committee on public order and safety on Monday, Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop asked the PNP’s Directorate for Personnel Records Management (DPRM) whether they have complied with 1-Rider party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita’s request for a list of officers dismissed in relation to the Parañaque raid last September 2023.

When DPRM’s Col. Lynette Tadeo said that they had submitted a response — which stated that names of the officers cannot be disclosed due to Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act — Acop asked if the PNP understood the law.

“Ano ‘yong exception na dapat mag-submit kayo iha?  If you read, Letter F of Section 13, except in the following cases.  Sa IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations) ninyo, except in any of the following cases, Letter f din, iha.  Will you please read?  Eh kasi baka akala niyo hindi kami nagbabasa dito eh,” Acop, a former police general himself, said.

(What is the exception regarding your submissions?  If you read, Letter f of Section 13, except in the following cases.  In your IRR, it is stated that except in any of the following cases, Letter f also.  Will you please read?  Maybe you thought we do not read these documents.)

“Letter F, it says the processing concern sets personal information as is necessary for the protection of the lawful rights and interests of natural or legal persons in court proceedings or the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims or when provided […] or when provided to government or public authority,” Tadeo replied.

Acop then continued reading the portion of R.A. No. 10173 which Tadeo cited, noting that the term “constitutional and statutory mandate” refers to Congress and its committees.

“Pursuant to?  Pursuant to a constitutional or a statutory mandate.  This body has constitutional and statutory mandate iha.  So sabihin mo sa boss mo (So tell your boss),” Acop fired back.

Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo who was visibly irked reminded the PNP that the House panel can go into an executive session if they will be presenting sensitive or confidential information.

“This is a Congressional inquiry, this is not a talk show host, this is not a press conference where you can withhold the information because it was stated in the provisions of that law..  Remember, this is an inquiry.  If you do not trust the inquiry of the committee, we have an executive session which is a closed-door (meeting), only you and us,” Tulfo said.

“So next time when we ask you something, and you tell that to your directorate, okay?  And that’s an instruction.  Because the next time, you might be held in contempt for not following instructions from the committee.  Do not set aside the committee hearings because this is an inquiry in aid of legislation,” he added.

Committee chairperson and Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said they wanted to end the investigation and come out with a committee report — which also means releasing Southern Police District (SPD) officers involved in the raid — but they are forced to extend because of PNP’s non-compliance.

“We wanted to dismiss this investigation and release the officers cited for contempt here, but we cannot do anything but continue this,” Fernandez said.

READ: House panel OKs 5-day furlough to cops detained over arrest of 4 Chinese 

The committee is investigating the possible culpability of 44 police officers from SPD, who allegedly staged a fake operation against the four Chinese in a condominium in Parañaque, taking money from them in the process.

The investigation of the panel started after Acop filed a resolution, stating that the four Chinese were “allegedly unlawfully accosted and arrested.”  He said the Chinese were brought to Room 1811 of Solemare Parksuites condominium in Parañaque on September 16, 2023.

READ: Cops may have ‘planted’ gun in anomalous arrest vs 4 Chinese – Acop 

Last February 13, the panel gave the detained officers a five-day furlough so that they can respond to the dismissal orders from the PNP.