MPD cop in ‘hot water’ for threatening curfew violators
PHILIPPINE National Police chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar has lauded the Manila Police District for its quick response to a complaint against a local policeman who was accused of using his gun to threaten a group of teenagers violating the curfew hours.
Police Corporal Medel Biloan of the intelligence section of the MPD Station 2 was disarmed and placed under the ustody of the MPD pending the investigation of the case.
“Nakarating sa aking kaalaman ang reklamo laban sa isang pulis na si Police Corporal Medel Biloan na inaakusahang nagbunot ng baril upang piliting sumunod ang ilang kabataan na lumalabag sa curfew sa kanilang lugar sa Maynila,” said Gen. Eleazar.
“Na-disarmahan na at nakakulong and a case of violation of RA 7610 or Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act was already referred against him at the Manila Prosecutor’s Office. Inatasan ko na rin and Director, MPD, Brigadier Gen. Leo Francisco na simulan na ang kasong administratibo for grave misconduct laban sa kanya,” he added.
Cpl. Biloan was arrested by his colleagues after he was caught on video threatening to hit some teenagers with his gun during the wee hours of Friday. In another CCTV footage, the policeman, who was in civilian clothes, was also seen drinking liquor outside his residence.
Gen. Eleazar said that while l Biloan may have good intention to enforce the curfew in their community, using his gun to scare unarmed civilians will never justify his action.
The fact that he himself was violating the protocol when he was caught drinking and not wearing face mask along the street was not only a violation of the quarantine rules and police protocols but also put the entire police organization in bad light, the PNP chief said.
“Noon pa man, ang laging bilin ko sa ating kapulisan ay respetuhin ang karapatan ng ating mga kababayan sa pagpapatupad ng anumang patakaran at batas. Sa kasong ito, hindi katanggap-tanggap ang ginawa ni Police Corporal Biloan gaano man kabuti ang kanyang intensyon dahil bukod sa pananakot sa mga kabataan gamit ang kayang baril, lumalabas na siya mismo ay lumabag sa batas nang makita siyang umiinom sa kalsada at walang face mask,” the top cop explained.
As law enforcers, Gen. Eleazar said that PNP personnel should serve as role models since if they violate the laws themselves, it would erode their credibility in enforcing the law as well as the trust and respect of the public.
He said this should serve as a warning to other police officers to be mindful of their actions even they are off duty.
In the wake of the incident, Gen. Eleazar again reminded the public to follow the quarantine rules and also advised parents to take care of their children amid the threat of the pandemic.
“Mahigpit ang ipinapatupad kong pagdidisiplina sa aming hanay kaya nakikiusap din tayo sa ating mga kababayan na sumunod at igalang ang mga patakaran na ipinapatupad para sa kaligtasan sa gitna ng pandemya—at maayos na pangaralan ang kanilang mga anak tungkol dito,” he said.
