A Quezon City policeman, who was caught on CCTV footages mauling a motorist inside a police station over a traffic altercation last week, was transferred to the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame.
Before his transfer, Chief Inspector Melvin Madrona made an exit call before Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar in Camp Karingal yesterday.
Eleazar, in press briefing in his office, said they received the other day the order from the PNP headquarters placing Madrona under the restrictive custody of the Headquarters Support Service.
Madrona turned over his service firearm to Eleazar.
“Ako po ay tumatalima sa aming organisasyon, susunod sa desisyon…Ako po nandito ngayon para sumunod sa kautusan ng aming organisayon,” Madrona said.
Madrona was caught in a series of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages inside the Fairview Police Station on March 17, mauling a 24-year-old motorist while his peers stood and watched. He was immediately ordered relieved when his superiors learned about the incident.
The motorist’s identity was withheld for his security.
While he did not deny beating the victim, Madrona, who leads the Fairview Police’s drug enforcement unit (SDEU), said he only defended himself and claimed that it was the motorist who provoked him during a road altercation.
Eleazar, however, said Madrona’s action is “unacceptable” even if it was the motorist who started the incident.
“We chose him to be the chief of the SDEU because there were no derogatory reports about him. In fact, he really helped in or campaign against anti-illegal drugs and other forms of criminality. But just the same, no explanation could justify what he did. Whatever happened, it cannot justify what we saw in CCTV footage,” he said.
Eleazar said Madrona’s action tainted the “sanctity” of the police station where the motorist supposedly asked for help.
“The victim went there, he was seeking refuge. He maybe thinking that it is his sanctuary and report the incident.
But the fact that he was mauled in a police station and a senior officer was responsible, what we saw on video was not acceptable,” he said.
The police official added that they are now investigating the policemen who were seen on footages just standing and not pacifying the incident. He said they would be asked to explain their sides.
Eleazar said that they are now preparing administrative charges against Madrona, who now faces criminal charges of physical injuries, arbitrary detention, grave threats and grave coercion. (VANNE ELAINE P. TERRAZOLA)