By AARON RECUENCO
Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has ordered the deployment of two Mandaluyong policemen, who were caught in a viral video hitting two barangay ordinance violators, to Marawi City.
An irate dela Rosa said Marawi City is the best place where PO1 Jose Julius Tandog and PO1 Chito Enriquez could be deployed in order to test their aggressiveness.
Dela Rosa, along with Director Oscar ALbayalde, head of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), went to Mandaluyong City police to confront the two cops.
Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesman, said the entire national police force is embarrassed by the action of Tandog who was seen in the video hitting the arrested barangay ordinance violators with a stick.
“The video was shown to the Chief PNP and he got mad. He immediately went to the police station (where the two cops are assigned),” said Carlos, referring to the video which went viral in the social media.
The video was secretly taken by one of the two victims of maltreatment who were earlier arrested for drinking outside their house, a violation of the barangay ordinance.
“The intention of the chief is for them to be deployed to Marawi. Dun daw nila ilabas ang tapang nila,” said Carlos.
Based on the initial report, Tandog and Enriquez were conducting patrol when they spotted the two engaged in a drinking session alongside the road. They immediately accosted them and taken to the barangay hall of Barangay Jolo when they tried to resist arrest.
But in the same video, the other alleged victim was heard apparently provoking Tandog to hit them by asking for a copy of the ordinance which they had violated.
It was then that Tandog has started hitting the victim.
In an interview, Tandog explained that the two people they arrested have been rowdy even inside the vehicle on their way to the barangay hall where the alleged maltreatment of the arrested violators occurred.
He admitted that he flared up due to the provocation of the arrested suspects. But he said he is willing to suffer the consequence of his action.
“I am willing to accept the sanctions that would be given by the higher authorities,” said Tandog.
For his part, Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, director of the Eastern Police District, said the two cops should have exercised maximum tolerance despite the provocation of the two arrested barangay ordinance violators.