ILOILO City – Following a direct order from President Duterte, criminal and administrative charges were filed yesterday afternoon against Iloilo Rep. Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr. and his father, Mayor Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr., for mauling a cop in Guimbal, Iloilo.
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office lodged the complaint against the father and son before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas, a day after they mauled Police Officer 3 Federico Macaya Jr. at the Guimbal Public Plaza.
Criminal complaints lodged against the Garins include slight physical injury, slander by deed, direct assault upon an agent of authority, grave coercion, serious illegal detention, and scandal.
Administrative complaints include grave misconduct, oppression, abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service.
Rep. Garin and Mayor Garin summoned Macaya early Wednesday morning to confront him for allegedly making a victim of a physical assault incident to drop criminal charges against a suspect.
But Rep. Garin attacked Macaya after he was disarmed and put on handcuffs. Rep. Garin held Macaya at gunpoint while kicking the police officer and spit on him.
Macaya said that he is not afraid anymore with the backing of the Philippine National Police as he seeks justice for what the Garins did to him.
Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government vowed to file appropriate criminal and administrative cases against Mayor Garin before the Ombudsman or any court of law for allegedly mauling a police officer as soon as the investigation on the incident is concluded.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año asserted that stern disciplinary actions against the mayor should be imposed, stressing that nobody should take the law in his own hands no matter what viable reasons are.
Año insisted that Mayor Garin and Rep. Garin abused their authority and displayed arrogance, “a conduct unbecoming of men in authority and well-deserving of punishment.”
He insisted that he will not tolerate “this kind of behavior and will order the removal of Mayor Garin’s deputation authority over the Guimbal police once the investigation results are out.”
“The President himself was so disappointed and I will ensure that his order to file cases against the Garins will be complied with immediately,” he added.
He stressed the incident is a clear ground for the withdrawal of Mayor Garin’s authority over the local Philippine National Police unit.
Section 61 of the Local Government Code of 1991 says administrative charges may also be filed against Mayor Garin at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for abuse of authority, oppression, and misconduct in office.
“We will make sure that justice will be served and will run after local chief executives who abuse their authority,” said Año.
In the case of Rep. Garin, Año noted they will also recommend to the House of Representatives to impose sanctions on him.
The Garins’ police escorts were immediately recalled after the alleged mauling incident on the police officer.
PNP Western Visayas director Chief Supt. John Bulalacao has requested the National Police Commission to remove Mayor Garin’s authority over the local PNP.
Bulalacao said they will also file criminal charges for grave threat against Mayor Garin while charges for physical injuries, alarm and scandal, direct assault against an agent of person in authority, and grave coercion will be filed against Rep. Garin. (Tara Yap and Chito A. Chavez)