CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has requested the Cebu City Police Office to reveal the identities of the police personnel, who allegedly mauled suspect, Eddie Basillote, in a drug operation in Barangay Talamban on April 18.
The policemen were seen mauling Basillote in front of a woman and an infant in a footage captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) system
A blotter in the Talamban Police Station affirmed that the arrest was a legitimate police operation.
However, Basillote said the operation happened in his house in Barangay Carreta.
READ: CHR-7: CCTV footage of police mauling suspect shows abuse of human rights
READ: CCPO to probe Talamban cops for ‘police brutality’ caught on video
In a memorandum order to CCPO Director, Police Colonel Royina Garma, Osmeña said that as duly elected mayor of the city, he has to make sure “that those involved in the police operations are held accountable.”
“It is now public knowledge that the police personnel involved in the operation committed numerous violation,” Osmeña said in the Memorandum Order dated April 26, 2019.
Osmeña criticized the police personnel for not escorting the mother and the infant to a safe area before proceeding with the arrest.
He also said that the infant was hit on the head by one of the long firearms held by the police.
“This matter is of grave public concern,” said Osmeña.
“I am hereby directing you to submit the names of the police involved in the operation,” he added.
Osmeña, in previous statements, has placed an offer of P100,000 on who can identify the police involved in the alleged mauling.
Colonel Garma, for her part, topped up the mayor’s offer and said she is offering P200,000 for anyone who can identify the people in the video.
Garma said they will be investigating the incident of alleged police brutality and has ordered the Talamban police to submit an explanation. / celr