PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde denied on Thursday, August 8, that the police took over the security of the Vallacar Transit Incorporated (VTI) bus terminal in Bacolod City amid the company’s internal conflict.
PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Bernard Banac admitted that policemen went to the terminal in Samboc, Lopez Jaena in Bacolod City on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, but only to mediate and maintain peace and order there.
“May dalawa kasing security agency doon that time employed by the two parties at para maiwasan ang any untoward incident nagdeploy doon ng kapulisan,” he said.
(Policemen were deployed to the area to avoid any untoward incident between two security agencies.)
Banac was referring to the security agencies employed by the two warring factions of the Yanson family, the AY-76 which was contracted by Roy Yanson and the AGNSA which was contracted by his brother Leo Rey.
The Yanson family owns the Yanson Group of Bus Companies, including VTI which operates the Ceres Liner.
Banac said he had no idea how long the police stayed in the facility, but added that the officers have left the premises already.
Albayalde said he ordered the Civil Security Group (CSG) to conduct an investigation on the August 6 incident.
“Well, of course, talagang ganyan. Ang PNP, talagang shock absorber, ayaw ng mga pamilya hindi mapagbigyan ‘yung isa, Akala nila pumapanig doon sa isa. We will maintain our impartiality and we will be ready to answer ‘yung finile nilang injuction sa amin but you should remember ito po ay away pamilya, civil na kaso so hindi puwedeng manghimasok ‘yung PNP dito not until there will be a crime that will be committed,” he said. In a press conference in Camp Crame.
(The PNP is the shock absorber. We will maintain our impartiality and we will be ready to answer the injunction case that they file. But you should remember this is a family feud. This is a civil case. The PNP cannot intervene unless a crime is committed.)
“Never na itatake over ng pulis ng isang property. Never pong mangyayari yan, hindi gagawin ng pulis kailanman yan na itatake over nya ang isang property ng may property lalo na alam nila kung sino may ari ng property ng yan. That is very unlikely na it happened na pupunta yung pulis doon at itatake over yun at sila mag establish ng security guards doon. Malabong malabo po mangyari yun,” he added.
(The police will never take over a property. That will never happen. It is very unlikely that the police will go there and take over the property.)
On Wednesday, August 7, VTI board's legal counsel Sigfrid Fortun filed an injunction case against Albayalde, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Amador Corpus, PNP Civil Security Group Chief Reynaldo Biay, Western Visayas Police Regional Office Director Rene Pamuspusan, and Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (Sosia) acting chief Michael John Dubria.
Fortun said they were seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the police from intervening in the conflict.
The PNP-Sosia has yet to provide reporters a copy of the memorandum order that Bacolod police said was their basis for entering the terminal Tuesday.
PNP-Sosia officials have yet to comment on the matter.
The conflict started when siblings Roy, Ricardo Jr., Celina and Emily ousted their younger brother Leo Rey as the company president and installed Roy as the new company president.
Leo Rey is contesting his ouster. He has the support of another sister, Ginnette Yanson-Dumancas, and their mother Olivia Yanson.
Roy Yanson, upon his assumption as company president, hired the AY-76 security agency and fired the AGNSA, which Leo Rey had contracted. (SunStar Philippines)