2 Tesda guards held for mauling Manila cop

Two security guards assigned at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) complex in Taguig City were arrested for allegedly manhandling a policeman who refused to move his vehicle that was blocking the agency’s driveway.

According to a report by the Taguig police, the complainant, PO3 Lorenzo Catarata, was on his way to the Ermita station of the Manila Police District when caught in heavy traffic in front of the Tesda gates on East Service Road in Barangay Western Bicutan at 1:15 p.m. on Thursday.

Catarata was then unarmed and in civilian clothes.

Security guard Salvador Gregorio saw Catarata’s white Mitsubishi Mirage blocking the way and asked him to move. Tempers flared when Catarata said he couldn’t because of the bottleneck on East Service Road.

Chief Insp. Ramon Christian Laygo, head of the Taguig police investigation section, said a security camera footage caught Gregorio punching the right front door of the officer’s vehicle before walking away.

Gregorio returned moments later, this time accompanied by another Tesda guard identified as Marjun Gallenero.

The footage also recorded Gregorio and Gallenero having a heated argument with Catarata, which escalated into a fistfight that ended with the policeman being knocked down.

Laygo said Gregorio also grabbed and fired Gallenero’s service firearm, a 9mm pistol, at the policeman, but he missed.

Responding members of the Taguig police later arrested Gregorio and Gallenero, both of Variance Security Agency Corp. based in Cainta, Rizal. They remained in detention at the police station to face charges for physical injury and grave threats.