Umalma ang isang residente ng Pacific Plaza Towers matapos puwersahan diumanong pinasok ng apat na pulis ang gusali noong Linggo ng hapon, April 19.
Kinilala ang American na si Bishop Joseph Castillo bilang residente ng posh condo building sa Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Mga miyembro ng Joint Task Force COVID Shield ng Taguig City Police ang apat na armadong pulis.
Nakunan umano ang mga ito sa video na sumisigaw at pinapaalis sa pool area ang mga nadatnang residente roon.
Nagbanta rin umano ang mga pulis na aarestuhin ang sinumang mahuling hindi sumusunod sa quarantine protocol ng gobyerno.
Itinuturing daw na diplomatic community ang Pacific Plaza Towers, kaya ikinagulat ng mga residente ang biglaang pagsugod ng Taguig police.
Sabi ni Castillo sa ulat ng 24 Oras kagabi, April 20: "It was definitely a major overstep of diplomatic international issues and we love the Philippines.
"We love the government, but this kind of thing definitely should not happen."
CONDO ADMIN CRIES FOUL
Ang mismong pamunuan ng Pacific Plaza Towers ay inireklamo rin ang diumano'y panunugod at pananakot ng mga pulis nang walang sapat na basehan.
Depensa ng admin ng condo building sa inilabas nilang statement:
"Our security staff was unable to prevent their entry despite their attempts to do so.
"The policemen were in uniform, armed and apparently agitated.
"Further, they threatened to arrest our security people.
Hindi raw tama ang astang paninigaw at pamimilit ng mga pulis na i-check kung sumusunod sa quarantine protocol ang mga tagaroon.
Iginiit din ng pamunuan ng condo building na ang walong residenteng nadatnan sa pool area ay magkakalayo ang distansya.
Ni hindi naman daw nagsu-swimming sa pool ang mga ito.
Paliwanag pa rin ng condo admin: "The police personnel, led by Major Joseph B. Austria, proceeded forthwith to the back garden and pool area.
"There were about six to eight residents in the area, all practicing proper social distancing, none of them using the pool facilities, and just walking or sitting away from each other, taking in the afternoon sun.
"Despite this, the armed policemen, and particularly the major (who did not wear a facemask), accosted some of the residents there (including a member of your board), berated them loudly for not following the guidelines, and curtly shouted at them to go away."
NOTHING WRONG WITH POLICE OP?
Pero iba ang deklarasyon ng isang Filipino resident ng Pacific Plaza Towers.
Wala raw mali sa ginawa ng Taguig Police, dahil totoong may mga pasaway na residente sa kanilang lugar.
"Mostly foreigners are outside, walking around and the dogs," saad ng Filipino resident na nakausap ng Cabinet Files.
Gayong noon pa raw ay may utos na ang pamunuan ng Pacific Plaza Towers na bawal ang pakalat-kalat sa common areas ng building.
Alinsunod daw iyon sa direktiba mula sa LGU ng Taguig.
"Non-compliant talaga...
"Although PPT said they asked permission sa barangay, pero I think hindi well- coordinated sa mayor’s office.
"Other buildings here are strict."
MAYOR LINO CAYETANO INVESTIGATES
Hindi nagkakalayo ang paliwanag ng Cabinet Files informant sa mga pahayag ni Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano.
Si Lino ay dating resident director sa ABS-CBN.
Agad na pinaimbestigahan ni Lino ang insidente.
Sa video na nai-post sa Facebook page ng Taguig City, sinabi ni Lino na personal niyang nakausap ang isang police officer na sangkot sa reklamo ng mga dayuhang residente ng Pacific Plaza Towers.
Sa limang building na ininspeksyon ng police officer noong April 19, bukod-tangi umano ang Pacific Plaza Towers na tatlong beses na pinuntahan.
Pinayuhan daw ng police officer ang mga residente roon na huwag nang tumambay sa common space sa pool area.
Hanggang sa sumama na raw ang head ng PCP7 ng Taguig Police.
Salaysay pa rin ni Lino, napag-alaman niyang hindi raw mapagsabihan ng security personnel ng condo ang mga residente nang walang direktiba mula sa condo admin officers.
"The residents did not mind him. He asked them to leave and to vacate, a foreigner started shouting at him and debating him. He appealed to them to leave.
"They did not leave so he told me he was left with two choices.
"As a uniformed personnel, he’s mandated to follow up on a mission especially when he sees that the crime is being committed.
"So he had two choices: One, to arrest them for violating the law on community quarantine, the restrictions, the regulations on strict home quarantine.
"Or two, to do whatever he can to keep them safe and get them out of that common space. He chose the latter.
"He started telling everyone that they have to leave and have to leave immediately.
"This is what was caught on video.
"This is the account of the Philippine National Police."
REMINDER TO TAGUIG CONSTITUENTS
Hihintayin daw ni Lino ang paliwanag ng mga residente, building manager, at board of directors ng Pacific Towers Plaza.
Diin ni Lino, wala siyang kinikilangan sa concerned parties na sangkot sa isyu.
Siniguro niyang hindi ito-tolerate ng kanyang pamunuan ang anumang uri ng pang-aabuso ng law enforcers.
Pero paalala ng alkalde, lahat ng mga nasasakupan niya ay required na sumunod sa quarantine protocol, mapa-Filipino man o banyaga ang residente.
Sabi pa ni Lino: "We are in a state of public health crisis.
"The PNP is here to enforce a quarantine for our safety, for your safety.
"They’re not allowed to circumvent the law or to barge in to our homes.
"But if there’s a crime being committed, if there’s a violation being committed, they’re allowed to come in and they’re allowed to help us solve and fix the problem."