Neighborhood law officer caught puncturing tires

MANILA, Philippines—A barangay peace and security officer is faced with a charge of malicious mischief after he was caught on closed circuit television puncturing the tires of five vehicles, including three barangay patrol units and a car owned by the barangay chief, parked outside a barangay hall in Quezon City.

The alleged mischief-maker, Rolando Arellano, was identified Wednesday morning after Barangay Project 6 chairman Vicente Llamas and his men reviewed video taken by a security camera at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish at the corner of Roads 8 and 2 in Project 6.

Llamas immediately reported the incident to the Quezon City Police District’s Masambong station for the direct filing at the city prosecutor’s office of the malicious mischief charge against Arellano.

In his report, case investigator PO3 Marlon Tan said that the incident happened between 1 and 4 a.m. Tuesday in front of the barangay hall of Project 6 on Road 2.

Tan said that the suspect flattened the left rear wheel of a white Foton Tornado (SKR-387); the left rear wheel of a yellow Suzuki Bravo (SGZ-204); the right front wheel of a blue multi-cab (SKB-745); the right front wheel of a white Nissan Maxima (PKF-148); and the right rear wheel of a jeepney (CMX-899).

The Nissan Maxima belongs to Llamas while the jeep belongs, Mario Merino, also a peace and security officer of the barangay. The other vehicles are owned by Barangay Project 6.

Barangay Project 6 executive officer Edwin Balatbat told the Inquirer that he suspected that the saboteur was a co-worker on only barangay-connected vehicles were subjected to the vandalism.

“There were other vehicles of residents parked near the barangay hall but their wheels were not touched,” Balatbat said.

He said that he was on duty at the time of the incident and he suspected the culprit was Arellano because the security officer went in and out of the barangay hall at least four times before the vandalism was discovered.

“We were about to go on patrol when one of the BPSOs told me that a wheel of the Foton was flat. When I told him we could use the other barangay vehicles, he said that the other patrol units also had flat tires,” he said.

According to Balatbat, when he suggested that Llamas’ car be used instead he was told that it also had a flat tire, which made him realize it was sabotage.

“We asked the nearby church to let us view their CCTV footage and we saw Arellano punching holes on the tires of the vehicles,” he told the Inquirer, adding that the peace officer appeared to be using an ice pick.

Asked why Arellano would do such a thing, Balatbat said that the peace officer had figured in a heated argument with another peace officer. “He could have poked holes on the tires to release his anger,” the barangay executive officer said.