Thursday, January 25, 2007 Fact-finding chief clears cops in Capitol stand-off By Ruby P. Silubrico
POLICEMEN who forcibly entered the Provincial Capitol last January 17 by breaking its glass doors, were cleared of any violations by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Edgardo Doromal.
Doromal heads the fact-finding committee that was created to investigate the police's actions during the siege at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
On that Wednesday, the police entered the Capitol in an effort to remove Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. from office after the Ombudsman issued a dismissal order on him. A scuffle resulted afterwards.
Doromal said that after viewing the video footages, the personnel of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6) have not made any infraction or violated any law, based on their operation procedures.
"After our thorough investigation and review of the video footages we acquired, we found out that we have not done any infraction based on the police operation procedure. There is no need to investigate further," Doromal said during a press conference yesterday at the Iloilo Grand Hotel.
However, he said that an investigation will be conducted if complaints will be lodged.
"If we have to recommend something, it would contradict our findings. So if there's no infraction, how can we recommend anybody for investigation?" he added.
Doromal added, "Far from being overkill as claimed by opposition quarters, the PNP had fielded enough policemen (more or less 200) to maintain peace and order at the Capitol, which an estimated 1,000 supporters of the governor had barricaded with the support of heavily-armed men holed up inside the building."
Doromal said breaking of the glass door is justifiable to avoid a stampede by providing an additional gateway for people inside the Capitol to go out.
On the poking of guns, Doromal said the personnel did not point their guns at Board Member Niel Tupas Jr. and Nielette Tupas Balleza but merely asked them to halt and sit down.
He added that while everyone had complied with the order, one of their companions suddenly stood-up. This prompted one of the RMG officers to respond in accordance with police operational procedures when met with civilians who resist or refuse to cooperate with the lawmen.
"It's the natural reaction of a police officer to anybody who refuses the order. The poking of the gun was for only a split second, thus they did not apply excessive force," Doromal added.
Doromal said that based on the video footages, it was Tupas Jr. who initiated the shoving and scuffle after he was irked with the presence of policemen inside the Capitol grounds. "This prompted the unarmed elements of Civil Disturbance Management Group (CDMG) to respond accordingly."
"While the police had observed standard operating procedures in trying to disperse and break through the crowd that blocked the entry to the Capitol, Governor Tupas’ supporters led by BM Tupas initiated the scuffle that eventually prompted the CDM to react accordingly to the situation," Doromal said.
Doromal said that prior to the operation, the officers and men from the CDM and the RMG had conducted a thorough assessment and evaluation of the situation to prevent a deterioration of the peace and order in the area.
"Policemen involved in the restoration of normal government operations at the Capitol were adequately briefed to ensure that they comply with police operation guidelines during crisis situations. The responding team had taken into account that the Capitol is a 2,248 square-meter, six-storey building with 37 offices that ordinarily needs more than a hundred highly trained Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) personnel to secure the place. Meaning, 65 RMG personnel who were deployed to enter the building was actually not enough in the face of such a situation."
On the other hand, members of the media, who witnessed the scuffle, questioned Doromal for the "edited" footages being presented.
In a report over Aksyon Radyo, Doromal was quoted for answering that they don't know the people in the footages and it would already be too long if they show everything.
Also present during the press conference were Camp Crame Inspector General Erving Malunada, Deputy Investigation Division Management (DIDM) Chief Superintendent Geary Barias, representative from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Regional Director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Evelyn Trompeta and other officials. (With a report from Marie Katherine Villalon)
